George Lazenby gives Aaron Taylor-Johnson his 007 seal of approval

Last Updated on March 27, 2024

The media has taken The Sun’s news of Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s new 00-status and ran with it. Outlets everywhere have all but confirmed Taylor-Johnson’s reported formal offer to play James Bond by EON Productions. However, when the news circulated, there wasn’t any debunking coming from the studio, the production company or actor reps either. The source would tell The Sun, “Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back. Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”

While fans wait for an official announcement, former James Bond actor George Lazenby, who has had the opportunity to star in a sole outing as the agent in the now-appreciated On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, throws his support behind Taylor-Johnson in the role. According to Deadline, Lazenby was reportedly saying to TMZ that Taylor-Johnson would be able to “handle the stunts and all the ladies who love a man in a tux.” However, he also thinks the reason for the delay in any kind of announcement is because “when he auditioned for the part back in the 1960s, he went through a bunch of different tests and auditions before he won the role.” Though, he still thinks Taylor-Johnson would make a great Bond “as long as they do the character justice.” His advice for the young actor would be “to be true to himself and reinvent the role to fit him.”

Back in 2022, Esquire said that a credible source had told The Sun, “Aaron went for a screen test to be the next Bond in September and producers and Barbara loved him. He is now one of the front-runners.” Rumors about his casting have been burning for a couple of years, but Taylor-Johnson didn’t seem to know for certain if he would be taking the role. When asked about it last summer, “As I’ve already told you, I have to go by the beat of my own drum. It’s my own path, what feels intuitive to me. I’ve never made a decision based on other people’s perspectives, or their judgments, or their expectations. You lose your f**king mind if you do that. Your sense of worth and soul is gone. You need to understand what is integral to you and what feels right, and you’ve got to stay on track with what’s present in front of you. Kraven is what’s in front of me.” As for whether he would be game to play the iconic secret agent, the actor once again played coy. “I just focus on the things I can have in my hands right now,” he said. “What’s in front of me right now.“