There is little doubt that Daniel Craig did an excellent job as James Bond but it looks like Matthew Rhys almost got the job. However, the Perry Mason star revealed that he messed up his own audition when he told a bad joke.
Matthew Rhys has landed several awesome roles in his career. However, there was a time when he was auditioning for the truly big one. The Cocaine Bear star revealed to The Times that he tried out for 007 at the same time as Daniel Craig.
"I do remember a time just before Daniel got it," Rhys said. He then stated that he met with the James Bond producers who had a simple request from the actors.
"We were just told to wear a dark suit and read Casino Royale," Rhys explained. "They said, ‘What would you do differently with Bond?’ And I just remember going, ‘Ah.’ I was so not anticipating that question. And then I was like, is it a trick question? Are they waiting for people to go, ‘I wouldn’t do anything. He’s perfect’?"
Unfortunately for Rhys, he decided to crack a terrible joke.
"I’d give him a limp. I said, ‘Limp?’ Nothing. ‘Eye patch?’ Nothing," he shared.
Not surprisingly, the James Bond producers were not amused with the joke. Rhys wasn't called back and it was eventually announced that Daniel Craig will take over the role.
Luckily for Matthew Rhys, his career didn't stop after losing the role of 007. He would go on to nab the lead role in Perry Mason and The Owl House. His most recent project was the wildly successful Cocaine Bear.
As for James Bond, producers are currently on the hunt for the next actor who will replace Daniel Craig. For now, the new actor who will take over the role has not yet been announced. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.
Related: No Time to Die Star Ana de Armas Weighs in on Daniel Craig's James Bond Replacement
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