Michael Fassbender is looking back on his audition for the role of James Bond in Casino Royale—a moment that took an unexpected turn when he unintentionally ended up championing Daniel Craig for the part instead of himself.
Fassbender’s Unexpected 007 Audition Experience
During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Inglourious Basterds star shared that he had met with James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson as part of the audition process for Casino Royale. However, rather than making a case for himself, he found himself advocating for Craig.
“I actually went in for an audition phase before Daniel was cast,” Fassbender recalled. However, he admitted that he never felt like a serious contender for the role. “I don’t think I was ever in the mix,” he said.
Despite the opportunity, Fassbender unintentionally diverted the focus from himself. “I remember going into that room and sort of meeting with [Broccoli and Wilson], and I was like, ‘I think Daniel Craig is…’ I don’t know why I was promoting him. I should’ve been promoting myself,” he joked. “I was terrible at auditions.”
Praise for Daniel Craig’s Legacy as Bond
Although Fassbender didn’t land the role, he had nothing but admiration for Daniel Craig’s tenure as the iconic spy. Craig ultimately played James Bond in five films from Casino Royale (2006) to No Time to Die (2021), becoming one of the most celebrated actors to portray the character.
“Obviously, Daniel did a fantastic job and went on to, I think, be the most successful Bond in history,” Fassbender said. “That was it, really. There was never a conversation after that.”
Is Fassbender Still in the Running for Bond?
With Craig’s departure from the role, speculation continues about who will be the next 007. However, Fassbender made it clear that he’s not in the race to replace him. “I think it’s over,” he said. “It’s over.”
Despite ruling himself out, Fassbender had a couple of suggestions for potential Bonds. He believes his Black Bag co-star Regé-Jean Page could be a strong choice. “Regé, who’s in this movie, I think after people see his performance in this, he could be a frontrunner,” he said. Additionally, he praised Aaron Taylor-Johnson as another solid option, noting his talent and physical fitness for the role.
Fassbender’s Other Missed Franchise Opportunity
Interestingly, Bond wasn’t the only major franchise role Fassbender missed out on. In the same interview, he reflected on another unfortunate audition experience—this time for Mad Max: Fury Road.
Fassbender revealed that he was late for his audition to play Max, arriving at the studio nearly an hour behind schedule. “I arrived and I was like, ‘I’m so sorry,’ and they were like, ‘Fine,’” he said. However, things only got worse from there.
He recalled struggling with an acting coach assigned to the audition, making the entire experience “excruciating.” As a classically trained actor, he found the approach frustrating. “I felt like you’re teaching granny how to suck eggs here—this guy really got on my nerves,” he admitted.
Although Michael Fassbender missed out on both James Bond and Mad Max: Fury Road, his career has flourished with iconic roles in X-Men, Steve Jobs, and 12 Years a Slave. While he may not have become 007, his unexpected endorsement of Daniel Craig helped pave the way for one of the most successful Bond eras in history.
As the search for the next James Bond continues, Fassbender has his own picks—but for now, he’s happy to leave the secret agent business behind.
The Information is Collected from Yahoo and MSN.
