Roderick O`Grady joins ranks of recent screen tested James Bond candidates

10-Oct-2005 • Casino Royale

An "unknown" Ulster actor could be set to cause a real stir. Roderick O'Grady (35) has read for the part of 007 for the next James Bond film "Casino Royale" - reports Sunday Life.

The paper reports that, "if he were licensed to thrill, it would be one of the biggest shocks in tinseltown history. Pierce Brosnan has finally been ruled out and director Martin Campbell is now working from a shortlist of four."

Campbell said repeatedly last week that the choice was between 8 to 10 actors, including Goran Visnjic, Henry Cavill, Sam Worthington and Daniel Craig.

Roderick, the youngest of four brothers, was born in Strabane and didn't even consider acting until he was in his middle 20s. But he quickly made up for lost time on the stage and won acclaim in London in challenging plays, including A Foolish Fancy, which he also wrote, and Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. His dark looks won him a number of parts on US television, and he recently made a real impression on Stateside audiences in the film Collusion. Yet, unlike most actors, he prefers to keep a low, almost reclusive profile.

London agent James Harris told Sunday Life: "Roderick is only really known on this side of the Atlantic for his stage work. But his reputation is spreading - despite his reluctance to woo the publicity machine. He has read with Olivia Lee for the Bond movie and looks just like a young Sean Connery. He's not the favourite, but even if he doesn't get it, the exposure will do him no harm."

Thanks to `JP` for the alert.