Summary
Henry Cavill is one of the finest actors of his generation. He has the looks, build and qualifications to be the next James Bond, but he was probably too young when he auditioned 20 years ago.
Cavill is one of the famous British actors due to his strong screen presence, charismatic roles and outstanding performances. He is best known for playingSupermaninMan of Steel(2011). He reprised the role inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice(2016),Justice League(2017) andZack Snyder’s Justice League(2021). He was set to return to play the superhero again, but James Gunn decided to reboot the DC Universe and opted to cast a younger actor, David Corenswet as the newSuperman. Cavill was also loved by many for his portrayal ofGeralt of Rivia inThe Witcher. He was also close to playingJames Bondbut lost the role to Daniel Craig.
Cavill has been open about hisJames Bondaudition in 2005. He mentioned the experience in previous interviews, but his audition tape just leaked 20 years later. The clip was posted on Ron South’s YouTube account. According to him, “This video came from a VHS tape found in a recycling bin at a movie studio.” Cavill looks noticeably young in the screen test, but his long, curly hair seems to add more years to his age. However, that might not be enough because he didn’t get the role. According to director Matthew Vaughn, who directedArgyllestarring Cavill, the director preferred his audition for James Bond over Craig, but Barbara Broccoli, the producer who controls the Bond film franchise, favored Craig. In the video, director Martin Campbell can be heard saying his audition was “tremendous.” However, per Vaughn, age also played a factor. “They decided you were too young and I probably shouldn’t have said that, but Broccoli [isn’t] that keen on me anyway, so what have I got to lose?” Vaughn claimed onSiriusXMin January 2024 when they promotedArgylle. At the time of the audition, Cavill was around 21 or 22 while Craig was already 36 or 37.
Cavill was aware that he had nearly landed the role, and it was down to him and Craig, but the latter eventually bagged the role. “With the wholeBondprocess, I screen-tested many, many moons ago and it was, as far as I know, down to Daniel and myself,” Cavill toldMen’s Healthin 2021. “I think Daniel – sorry, Mr Craig – has done an incredible job of being Bond.” To his knowledge, Cavill wasn’t cast because of his build. According to him, director Martin Campbell told him he was “Looking a little chubby.” However, he didn’t take it badly but used it to encourage himself to work out, which probably helped him land more roles afterward. “I didn’t know how to train or diet. And I’m glad Martin said something, because I respond well to truth. It helps me get better,” Cavill added.
Cavill and Craig are both qualified to play James Bond.Broccoli reportedly has two requirementsfor the lead — that they be a man and a Brit. However, there is no argument that Craig has an advantage when it comes to age. Most actors who played Bond were in their mid-to-late 30s when they were cast for the role. The youngest actor to playBondwas George Lazenby, who was 29 when he starred inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service(1969). Sean Connery was 31 inDr. No(1962) and Craig was already 38 inCasino Royale(2006). Meanwhile, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan were already in their 40s when they portrayed the popular British spy. Craig has already left the franchise, and there have been various speculations as towho will be the next James Bond. After Cavill’s audition tape leaked, he seemed a good choice for the role. He still looks great and is in his best shape. And more importantly, he is now in his 40s, so he fits the bill where he previously failed – being too young for the role.
