Eric Bana denies the next James Bond rumour for the third time after latest false reports

25-Aug-2004 • Casino Royale

It must be terrible having your name and picture in almost every newspaper and entertainment magazine in the Western world. Australian actor Eric Bana has obviously tired of the false rumours that he has been chosen to take over from Pierce Brosnan and become James Bond #6.

Bana first denied the 007 link back in May, and then again last month, but that did not stop rumour mongers The London Evening Standard (part of the Daily Mail newspaper group) and movie websites AintItCool and IMDB from recently re-naming him as the new Bond.

The actor, who last appeared on the big screen opposite Brad Pitt in Troy, last night said he was definitely not in the running to take over from Pierce Brosnan as agent 007 in the 21st film in the series.

"Let me start by putting it to rest, that I am not the next James Bond," Bana said while launching the new teenmatters magazine in Sydney.

"I still don't know where that came from."

In fact, Bana only heard he was a contender while watching the evening news in his Melbourne home - reports The Australian.

"I was sitting at home watching the news and thinking I did not know anything about this."

Hopefully this third denial from Bana will finally give journalists the hint that the rumour is false.

Thanks to `JP` for the alert.