Clive Owen goes on the record about 007 - `It is all rumour, there has never been an official approach from the Bond people`

19-Oct-2003 • Actor News

Clive Owen has gone on the record that he has not been apprached by Eon Productions to take over the 007 role after Brosnan stands down - which may happen after Bond 21 is released in late 2005.

The false rumours that Owen would be unveiled as the next Bond as early as January 2004 were started by a hack at the Daily Record, a Scottish newspaper which has printed unfounded Bond rumours in the past - always attributing them to a convenient anonymous source.

Unfortunately, despite official denials by Eon Productions, the story was run by the media all over the world, with the Chinese whisper effect causing reputable news sources to quote the unfounded rumours as fact.

"It`s just continued speculation," an exasperated Owen said with a sigh last weekend to the Chicago Times. "Me becoming the next Bond has become so common that when I read the rumors I even shake my head."

His mates are another story. "I had a phone call last week from an old, dear American friend saying, `You bastard, Clive! You signed for two Bond films and you never told me!`

"I guess it was supposedly confirmed somewhere that I had," Owen said. And now for the truth? "It`s all rumor. I read what you read.

"Let me just tell you that there has never been an official approach from the Bond people toward me. And since that is the case, there is no point in me wasting time thinking about it."

"There is just so much bull**** in this game," he griped. "I think the bottom line is you just have to deal with the facts. Otherwise you just waste a lot of time and a lot of energy."

However his director on his latest film "Beyond Borders", Martin Campbell - who also helmed "GoldenEye" - seems to think Owen is the natural replacement.

"Clive would make a great James Bond," Campbell opined. "He goes back to the Sean Connery version of Bond. There`s a duality in both Connery and Clive. These are guys who onscreen love you one minute and then can kill you in the next. Plus, with Clive, like with Connery, when he hits you, you stay down."

Pierce Brosnan will be playing 007 in Bond 21. Shooting is due to start in January 2005 for a November 2005 release.

Thanks to Rumpole for the alert.