Following Sam Neill‘s recent passing at 78, many fans have been revisiting the remarkable career that made him one of cinema’s most beloved actors. Long before he became everyone’s favorite Dr. Alan Grant in the ‘Jurassic Park‘ movies, Neill came close to landing another iconic role in Hollywood with a legacy like no other. It was none other than the charming M16 agent James Bond.
The actor reached the final stages of the search to replace Roger Moore for ‘The Living Daylights‘ and even filmed a screen test at Pinewood Studios. Yet, despite coming so close to becoming 007, Neill walked away feeling relieved rather than disappointed. As it turns out, a personal reason made losing the role much less devastating than most people realized.
Sam Neill Never Wanted To Become James Bond
By the mid-1980s, producers running the James Bond franchise needed a new leading man after Roger Moore stepped away. Neill had already built a strong reputation through projects like ‘Reilly, Ace of Spies,’ making him a natural choice to audition.
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He even filmed a screen test featuring the Walther PPK and scenes inspired by ‘From Russia With Love.’ But he showed up to the audition more on his agent’s wish than his own. Neill later admitted he had little interest in becoming 007 but felt it would have been disrespectful to refuse such a high-profile invitation.
Looking back, the actor described the experience as uncomfortable from beginning to end. His hesitation had less to do with the action scenes than with the legacy attached to Bond. Neill worried the role could overshadow everything else he wanted to do as an actor.
More than that, he feared being compared unfavorably with everyone who came before him to play 007. Speaking in his memoir, ‘Did I Ever Tell You This?,’ he recalled telling his agent, “Listen, I do not want to be James Bond.”
“And I particularly don’t want to be that James Bond that everybody says, ‘Look, there’s James Bond in the corner of the restaurant. He’s the one I don’t like.'” Years later, Neill admitted the possibility genuinely bothered him.
During an appearance on Today Australia in 2023, he laughed about the outcome and said he was glad someone else landed the role. “I’m so relieved they offered it to someone else because you really don’t want to be the Bond that no one likes,” he said. “That’s a fate worse than death.”
Pierce Brosnan’s Dream Made Walking Away Even Easier
Career concerns weren’t the only reason Neill felt comfortable missing out on James Bond. Pierce Brosnan, who was competing for the role, happened to be one of his close friends. Unlike Neill, Brosnan desperately wanted the part and openly chased the opportunity throughout the casting process.
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Remembering that period years later, Neill admitted he never felt comfortable competing against someone who genuinely dreamed of becoming 007. “It was a part that my friend Pierce Brosnan was mad keen to do,” he recalled. “He was very good at it. I wouldn’t have been any good, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed it.”
Although Neill stepped away happily, Brosnan’s own journey took an unexpected turn. Producers initially wanted him for ‘The Living Daylights,’ but his commitment to the TV series ‘Remington Steele’ prevented him from accepting the role.
Timothy Dalton eventually became the next James Bond, while Brosnan had to wait until ‘GoldenEye’ arrived in 1995. Looking back, the outcome suited everyone involved. Brosnan eventually fulfilled his dream of playing 007, while Neill avoided a role he never truly wanted.
Instead, he went on to lead ‘Jurassic Park’ and build one of the most varied careers of his generation. Sometimes, the best career move isn’t landing the biggest role but recognizing that it belongs to someone else.
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