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Now remembered as one of the greatest Bonds in history, the burly former body-builder was shockingly met by skepticism from 007 novelist Ian Fleming in 1961.
Still from Goldfinger
Connery’s cunning and stoic portrayal of Bond colored the secret agent’s persona for the successful film franchise that followed. He starred in seven Bond films in total.
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Though Niven would star in just one Bond film, he was author Fleming's first choice to play the international spy.
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Niven’s Bond in Casino Royale, a spoof based on one of Fleming's novels, was an elderly man with a penchant for royal jelly and black roses.
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Lazenby was cast as Bond in only one film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and received mixed reviews for his stiff performance.
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Despite the criticism, Lazenby was nominated for the Golden Globe for new star of the year in 1970.
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In the same way that the prior actors gave their own twist to the character, Moore’s Bond was more elegant and well-mannered than his predecessors.
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Moore appeared as Bond in seven films in total, an amount matched only by the original Bond, Sean Connery.
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As a classically trained Shakespearean actor, Dalton intensely studied author Fleming’s characterization of Bond before taking on the role.
As Bond, Dalton was cold and unscrupulous, traits more aligned with Fleming's original vision for the trained assassin with a license to kill.
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Golden Eye, Brosnan’s first stab at the role of 007, garnered the actor high praise from critics.
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Brosnan crafted Bond as both suave and gritty, a conglomeration of Connery and Moore’s Bonds before him.
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Before accepting the role as the newest Bond, Craig was a big fan of the series. His era is marked by intense stunts and jaw-dropping action sequences.
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His fifth and most recent turn as Bond in No Time to Die is out in theaters now.
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