Bana, Eric Bana - The next Bond?

Actors & Actresses Forum

Bana 'next James Bond'
August 2, 2004

Australian actor Eric Bana, star of films The Hulk and Troy, is the surprise new choice to take over as James Bond, according to a report.

The beefy 35-year-old has beaten off competition from British actors Jude Law and Ewan McGregor to take over the role of the super-spy in the long-running series of films, the News of the World said.

The current Bond, Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, has stepped down after four films following a row with producers, the Sunday tabloid title said.

Bana was still negotiating with the series producers but they hoped he would take over for the 21st title in the series, due to begin filming later this year, the paper cited an unnamed "insider" as saying.

"Eric is the guy they want but he has a reputation for being demanding. They want to modernise Bond and turn him into a youthful, suave and modern hero to compete with the likes of Spider-Man and Keanu [Reeves] in the Matrix," the source said.

Bana was formerly a popular comedian in Australia before grabbing attention in the 2000 film Chopper, in which he played a real-life character, a famous - and famously violent - Australian criminal, Mark "Chopper" Read.

He has subsequently appeared in a string of US blockbusters, most recently playing Hector in swords-and-sandals epic Troy.

The James Bond films, based on the novels of Ian Fleming, have proved hugely successful ever since the first title, 1962's Dr No, in which Sean Connery took the lead role.

AFP

Looks like we're set to get an Aussie in the role!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eric Bana and Hugh Jackman are supposed to be front-runners!

Aussie Aussie Aussie!!!

Bond link baffles Bana - 03aug04

A BAFFLED Eric Bana says he has no idea where the "Bana for James Bond" rumour that swept the world over the weekend came from.

He rang his old mate Dave O'Neil for a chat about it on Sunday night, then popped up on his Nova brekky radio show yesterday.
"We talk occasionally and he's waiting for his next movie to start filming so he's in Melbourne with his family," O'Neil told The Eye.

"I convinced him to come on air with us." The pair have been friends since the late '80s, when they started out together on the stand-up circuit.

They also starred together in The Nugget in 2002.

Asked on Nova yesterday how the speculation started, Bana said: "I haven't got a bloody clue. It's kinda baffling to me.

"I've said, like, a million times I wouldn't do it. It's never, ever, ever been something we've had a discussion about."

But while Nova got the Bana interview, his local publicity people seemed to treat the radio spot as some sort of press release.

When one of our scribes asked for a comment on the Bond story, a Melbourne-based Bana rep told her she had to call LA.

Amused at the notion of being on the phone to the right person, but being told to call overseas, our scribe naturally persisted, but was told, "well, if you were listening to Nova you would have heard".

Of course, the helpful rep wouldn't reveal what Bana had said on radio, either.

Finally, she relented and said there was no truth to the Bond rumours.

These rumours keep popping up every now and then. I think they will keep poppiung up until the next Bond is actual;ly announced officially. But Eric Bana has said again that they're not true: