Josh O’Connor, the Challengers heartthrob and everyone’s favorite floppy-haired Brit, has officially addressed those pesky James Bond casting rumors. Spoiler alert: he’s not suiting up for MI6 anytime soon.
The 34-year-old actor has found himself smack in the middle of Bond buzz after whispers started swirling that he might be the next guy ordering martinis and dodging explosions. Why? Because why not? At this point, it seems like the criteria to be James Bond are:
1. Be British.
2. Own a suit.
3. Have at least one brooding photo on Instagram.
Apparently, an outlet recently crowned Josh as the most likely candidate to inherit Daniel Craig’s Aston Martin and brooding smolder. Naturally, the internet went wild. But Josh, being the cheeky chap that he is, handled it with the grace of someone who definitely doesn’t have time to dodge bullets in real life.
Here’s how he broke it down: “The truth is …” (cue dramatic pause) “… I think in the space of a week, I made a joke about how funny it would be if I played Bond.”
Boom. That’s it. That’s how the internet gave this man a license to kill. One joke. One innocent comment. And suddenly, tabloids were fitting him for a bowtie and rehearsing his one-liners.
Josh continued spilling the tea: “Then me and Daniel Craig did an Actors on Actors thing, and then something else happened. Suddenly, I’m James Bond.”
First of all, imagine casually name-dropping Daniel Craig in your story like it’s no big deal. Second, “something else happened” sounds suspiciously vague. Was it the way he sipped tea? Did he raise one eyebrow too provocatively? Was there a secret MI6 audition disguised as an awkward dinner party? We need answers, Josh.
But here’s the kicker: when asked if there’s any truth to the rumors, Josh deadpanned, “If I am Bond, I don’t know about it.”
Translation: If MI6 is recruiting him, they forgot to CC him on the email. Classic spy agency mix-up.
So, for now, Josh O’Connor remains Bond-free, much to the disappointment of fans already imagining him in a tux and dodging explosions in slow motion. But hey, maybe he’ll get the call one day. Until then, we can all enjoy the mental image of Josh nervously Googling, “how to drink a martini without making a face.”
Josh O’Connor on the James Bond rumors : “If I am Bond, I don’t know about it” | #Sundance2025 pic.twitter.com/BDu1akURy1
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) January 25, 2025
