Celebrities weigh in: Who was the best James Bond?
Bryan Cranston, star of “Breaking Bad,” on Sean Connery:
“I think it’s got to be Connery,” he tells Metro, soon summing up the thoughts of his generation, “because as soon as I was of that age, he was really starting as well. And I just identify Connery with that role. It’s always been a great piece of escapism.”
Christopher Nolan, director of “The Dark Knight” and “Inception,” on George Lazenby:
Well, the director at least has kind words for Lazenby’s movie, if not specifically the actor himself. “I think, ‘Her Majesty’ Secret Service’ would be my favorite Bond. It’s a hell of a movie, it holds up very well,” he told Empire magazine. “What I liked about it that we’ve tried to emulate in ["Inception"] is there’s a tremendous balance of action, scale, and romanticism and tragedy and emotion. Of all the Bond films, it’s by far the most emotional.”
Britt Ekland, Bond girl, on Roger Moore:
“I think Roger is the best Bond, of course,” the star of “The Man with the Golden Gun” told the Telegraph recently, “not just because of being my Bond, but because if you read the early Ian Fleming books describing him, that’s how he was. He was a bachelor, unattached, he was luxurious, sophisticated, and he was not available for females so no long term relationships there. I think Roger really portrayed that.”
Jesse Bradford, star of “Guys with Kids,” on Timothy Dalton:
We asked a child of the 1980s to comment here; Bradford was born in 1979. “Connery wins, hands down,” admits Bradford, who starred in “Bring it On.” “But Timothy Dalton is the Bond of my youth and he deserves more credit than he gets. He nails the dark and dangerous element, but unlike Daniel Craig (Connery’s runner up in my book), Dalton also brings a swashbuckling sort of elegance and humor to the role. Also, it’s important to remember context—in this case the gender bending mid-80s. Dalton brought a sensitive, gentile demeanor that made him arguably the most feminine Bond. Of course, he can still kick ass, but he’s the only one with really ANY feminine side, and I love that he made that work in a roll so traditionally steeped in machismo.”
Famke Janssen, star of “GoldenEye,” on Pierce Brosnan:
The erstwhile Xenia Onatopp tells Metro: “We were the first movie back after a several-year hiatus. They had to reinvent themselves at that point as James Bond. I thought there was no better person to do that than Pierce Brosnan. He has all of what you from James Bond, looking at the other James Bonds we’ve had in the past. He was debonair, classy and yet had a twinkle in his eye and he’s a handsome guy who can act. On top he brought something truly modern to the role, which was very much needed to reinvent the franchise. He did. It worked on so many levels. It speaks to how well the Bond producers have kept re-inventing themselves over the years.”
Ralph Fiennes, star of “Skyfall,” on Daniel Craig:
He may be biased, since he appears in the next Bond, but Fiennes says: “I think Casino Royale was really excellent, and I think Daniel is a brilliant Bond, wonderful. A Bond for now, in our world. He’s wonderful.”
Who would you vote for?
(With additional reporting by Joel Amos)
