All thanks to ‘Outlander‘, we now know Sam Heughan, aka our very own Jamie Fraser. But back when popularity was a long shot for him, Heughan was chasing a very different dream.
In his memoir, Heughan revealed that he once had the opportunity to play the character of James Bond, even before Daniel Craig came onto the scene. But unfortunately, things didn’t work out in the end, and the reason wasn’t really his talent or audition performance.
Why Sam Heughan Never Became Bond
The story takes us back to the mid-2000s, when the James Bond franchise was preparing to relaunch with ‘Casino Royale.’ Pierce Brosnan had finished his run, and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were searching for someone who could give the famous spy a fresh edge. The process was kept under wraps, and Heughan himself described it as “so hush-hush” that no one even confirmed to him that he was truly being considered for 007.
Related:
Referring to this, Heughan later wrote in ‘Waypoints: My Scottish Journey‘, “It blew my mind to think I might even be in the frame for such an iconic figure. I had to remind myself to relax and let them see what I could do with the character.” The audition itself took place at “Bond HQ” with a casting director.
Recalling the moment, Heughan added, “We spoke a little about Scotland and about Bond, read the scene once, then I left. It was all so quick, the sweat beneath my leather jacket just starting to form. It was all just so cool and crowned by the fact that Barbara was charming and delightful. When I left, I half-wondered whether I was about to be tested with a car chase home.”
When Heughan finally got feedback about his audition later, the reason behind his rejection turned out to be something he never expected. Turns out, he wasn’t “edgy enough” for the role of James Bond. Later, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Heughan explained, “I realized that the edge the Bond team sought could be achieved through self-confidence, which, to be fair, I was certainly lacking at the time.”
‘Outlander’ Changed Heughan’s Life, But He’ll Never Say No To Bond
Fortunately, Heughan didn’t let the rejection weigh him down. Instead of letting the rejection hold him back, Heughan used it as motivation. Referring to the instance in his memoir, he admitted, “I considered it to be a challenge in some ways; a performance I could pretend was really me that I could switch on and off at will.”
In case you missed it: Why Can’t Jamie Time Travel In ‘Outlander’?
Little did he know that his performance would come in handy years later in ‘Outlander‘. While James Bond didn’t happen, the show turned out to be the career-defining role Heughan had been waiting for. Since its debut in 2014, the series has run for multiple seasons and made him a global star, all thanks to ‘that edge‘. The quality producers once thought he lacked is exactly what viewers love about him on ‘Outlander.’ Would you ever want anyone else to play Jamie?
While there’s no doubt about Daniel Craig doing justice to the role of Bond for 15 years, fans never stopped speculating about who might replace him next. After ‘No Time to Die‘ marked Craig’s final outing as 007, Heughan’s name quickly resurfaced as a fan favourite. In fact, he even topped a poll on Radio Times about who audiences wanted to see take over the role.
Heughan himself hasn’t hidden his interest, though he admits timing may not be on his side. “Maybe I’m too old now,” he told EW. “I know that they’ve been talking about making him younger. I feel like that’s where they’re gonna go, but who knows what’s in their mind.”
We may or may not get to see Heughan as Bond onscreen. But he has proved that rejection doesn’t have to define an actor’s career. The one feedback for not being ‘edgy‘ enough pushed him to develop the edge that made him our favorite today!
