“I don’t feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me.”
Posted 7 hours ago
It’s been a wild 24 hours for fans of Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
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It was reported on Tuesday that the 33-year-old — best known for movies like Bullet Train, Tenet, and Kick-Ass — had been offered the role of James Bond, following in the footsteps of fellow Brit Daniel Craig, who departed the franchise in 2021 after starring in five films over 16 years.
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A source told the Sun that Eon Productions are set to start filming the 26th Bond film later this year, and that the lead role is Aaron’s “should he wish to accept it.”
“The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back,” the insider alleged. “As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”
Beating out the likes of Theo James and Henry Cavill, Aaron has been a Bond front-runner for quite some time now. However, the reports of his casting were soon followed by conflicting claims that he hadn’t been offered the part.
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One production insider told the BBC that there’s “no truth in the rumors.”
Now, with speculation taking hold of the internet, Rolling Stone UK has dropped a well-timed interview with the star, giving him a chance to comment on his potential future as 007.
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Asked directly about the longstanding Bond rumors, Aaron pointedly declined to comment, telling the journalist that he’s only at liberty to discuss the movies he’s currently promoting.
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“I can only really talk about the things I’m going to show and tell,” he said. “So, The Fall Guy, Nosferatu, Kraven the Hunter. I’m here to promote those.”
After swerving the topic, he added: “I don’t feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like: Whatever’s drawn out for me, I can fuckin’ do better.”
Instagram: @aarontaylorjohnson
“It’s the best when you sometimes lose all inhibitions completely, and you feel like you’re dangling there, and the director has sort of got one finger on the back of your shirt, so you don’t fall,” he said of his ambitions as an actor. “It’s all about chasing that feeling. There’s nothing so exhilarating as that.”
When discussing future 007 candidates back in 2022, Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson indicated that they were looking to cast someone in their 30s, citing that the job would be a “10-, 12-year commitment.”
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Based partly on this, Aaron has always been a favorite to take on the iconic role, and as a result, he’s carefully commented on the speculation numerous times.
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His new quotes closely echo those he gave when asked about the Bond rumors last summer, telling Esquire: “It's not really for me to say anything… I have to go by the beat of my own drum. It’s my own path, what feels intuitive to me.”
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“I’ve never made a decision based on other people’s perspectives, or their judgments, or their expectations,” he went on. “You lose your fucking mind if you do that. Your sense of worth and soul is gone. You need to understand what is integral to you and what feels right, and you’ve got to stay on track with what’s present in front of you.”
He continued: “I just focus on the things I can have in my hands right now — what’s in front of me right now.”
After repeatedly failing to outright deny the rumors, he recently told Numéro magazine that he finds it “charming and wonderful” that so many people support the prospect of him being cast as Bond.
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“I take it as a great compliment,” he said.
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