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British acting royalty Kristin Scott Thomas has shared her thoughts on her Slow Horses co-star Jack Lowden being tipped as the next James Bond.
Scott Thomas stars as Diana Taverner, the Director General of MI5 in Apple TV’s hit spy thriller series, alongside Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb and Lowden as disgraced MI5 agent River Cartwright.
Lowden is among the favourites to replace Daniel Craig as the next 007, with Callum Turner and Josh O’Conner also believed to be in contention for the coveted role.
In a new interview with The Times, she addressed the speculation surrounding her co-star’s odds on taking up the Bond mantle: “Oh God, I wish I knew. He’d be very, very good.”
She added: “He’s got that twinkle, he’s cheeky and he’s a very, very good actor.”
We’re inclined to agree with her – whilst thinking that Scott Thomas could make a terrific M in the as-yet-untitled new Bond film…
The 36-year-old Scottish actor is best known for playing River Cartwright but has been seen on the big screen in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, Mary Queen of Scots (2018) and Benediction (2021). He will appear later this year as Mr Darcy in Netflix’s new adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”.
Earlier this year, Euronews Culture reported that the official casting for Bond was underway and that Lowden would be an ideal candidate for 007.
We wrote regarding Lowden: ” Spy credentials? Check. Charisma levels? Suit him up. Pre-existing rapport with the casting director? Done. Married to Saoirse Ronan who has previously expressed an interest in being cast as a Bond villain? Make this happen.”
Lowden has recently spoken out on the rumours linking him to the role of James Bond in a recent interview with GQ.
He said: “On this… it’s all very flattering. It’s nice to be mentioned – for any role – and I’m just not really going to add to the noise.”
He added, reagrding the possibility of playing Bond: “As a young male actor, generally, the minute you’re not playing a zany artist type, the minute you’re in a suit, people fling it at you.”
Lowden was reported to have screen tested for the role, alongside Turner and O’Connor.
This week, there has been fresh speculation regarding casting as film industry insiders seem increasingly convinced that Callum Turner has landed the role.
Turner was spotted at Bray Studios in Berkshire for a screen test on Friday (30 October) and The Sun reported that the actor had stepped down as a director of Twentytwo Films Ltd, a production company he founded last year with his wife, Dua Lipa.
This has been interpreted as a sign that Turner could be clearing his slate ahead of a career-making Bond move. A source told the publication: “Callum is making all the right moves to become the next James Bond. The role is all-consuming and commitment to it is a top priority of the producers.”
An exact timeline for finalizing casting is not known. What we do know is that it’s happening this year, as Bond 26 producer Amy Pascal revealed in August that “the end of the year is a good bet” for the official announcement.
“We are being really, really methodical,” said Pascal in August. “Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow. And it’s got to be something really different that is stirring, exciting and different.”
Bond 26 will be directed by Canadian filmmaker and four-time Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve and is being written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. It will be the first Bond film since Amazon took full creative control over the franchise from longtime 007 custodians Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.
Production on the next Bond film is expected to kick off in 2027, with a release planned for 2028.