Rikki Lee Travolta rumoured for James Bond #6 screentest

20-Aug-2005 • Casino Royale

According to a source in the Screen Actors Guild, ponytailed actor Rikki Lee Travolta of the well known entertainment family was ushered from the Chicago set of 'Crime Fiction' and flown to London for a closed door screentest for what is only being described as 'a franchise action role.' - reports TheHollywoodNews.

The news comes on the heels of a report that actor Hugh Jackman had declined a three picture offer to play the title character in the James Bond action film franchise. In 2004 Jackman and Travolta were identified in the press as two of the final contenders under consideration to take over the Bond role from Pierce Brosnan. The shortlist of contenders was nicknamed 'the Bond Five' and consisted of Jackman, Travolta, Eric Bana, Clive Owen, and Adrian Paul.

Following the acquisition of MGM Studios by Sony Pictures, by July 2005 it was believed that the focus for Bond casting had moved to a stable of Goran Visnjic, Henry Cavill, Alex O'Lachlan, and Ewan Stewart, with Jackson and Travolta as backburner considerations, and Owen, Bana, and Paul eliminated from contention - the site reports. Following screentests by Visnjic, Cavill, O'Lachlan, and Stewart at Pinewood Studios under the supervision of director Michael Campbell in late July, no decision was announced.

Thanks to `LicenceToKill` for the alert.