A single, surprising phone call and it was over. That's how Pierce Brosnan says he learned that his services as James Bond would no longer be required.
"One phone call, that's all it took!" the 52-year-old actor tells Entertainment Weekly magazine in its Aug. 19 issue. Brosnan starred in four Bond films. He says that before they stopped negotiations, the producers had invited him back for a fifth time. "You know, the movie career for me really started with Bond," says Brosnan, acknowledging that by the time "GoldenEye" premiered in 1995, he was already 42. He then starred as 007 in "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), "The World Is Not Enough" (1999) and "Die Another Day" (2002).
His departure from the role was a "titanic jolt to the system," says Brosnan, followed by "a great sense of calm." "I thought. ... I can do anything I want to do now. I'm not beholden to them or anyone. I'm not shackled by some contracted image. So there was a sense of liberation."
Brosnan says he's grateful to have had the role, but adds: "It never felt real to me. I never felt I had complete ownership over Bond. Because you'd have these stupid one-liners — which I loathed — and I always felt phony doing them." He plays a foulmouthed, skirt-chasing hit man in the upcoming film "The Matador."
"(For this) to come on the heels of my departure from the world of Bond is sweet grace, to play this one as a farewell to that chapter in time — it certainly wasn't planned."
Posted by Lawren at August 18, 2005 08:04 AM
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I miss Remington Steele.
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Kelly at August 18, 2005 08:28 AM
That blows. He was the best Bond since Sean Connery. At least his Bond films and Remington Steele are out on DVD.
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Brian D. at August 18, 2005 12:35 PM
Pierce Brosnan was made for the roll of James Bond. It's unfortunate that the producers of Remington Steele used that to leverage one last year of that series, by far its lamest, which prevented Brosnan from taking the Bond roll until the Timothy Dalton reign of error was over.
I think dumping Brosnan is a terrible move. he was the best chance they had of stemming the slipping popularity of James Bond, even though they kind of misused him. I wouldn't be surprised if the series dies after the next few movies bombs with some lame-o replacement.
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ProCynic at August 18, 2005 06:16 PM