- With the release of Jurassic World Dominion, Sam Neill has returned to the classic Jurassic Park franchise.
- The New Zealand actor recently confessed that he auditioned for the renowned role of James Bond — a position he maintained he never wanted to portray.
In an interview with CinemaBlend about his new film, Neill, 74, expressed gratitude for not landing the part of the world’s most renowned spy.
“My agency pushed me into a pretty uncomfortable test,” he explained to the publication. “It was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life because I didn’t want to be James Bond.”
“I did it with great reluctance,” Neill said. “That was probably the last thing I let my then-agent pressure me into.”
He recounted telling his then-agent that he didn’t want to be James Bond, saying, “‘I really don’t want to be the James Bond that everybody says, ‘Look, there’s James Bond in the corner of the restaurant.'” He’s the one I dislike.”
When Roger Moore finished his seventh and final Bond film, A View To A Kill, in the mid-1980s, Neill auditioned for the part.
Read more: Sam Neill explains what was up with his Jurassic Park accent
The job finally went to Pierce Brosnan, who Neill says “truly, really wanted the role” at the time Neill auditioned.
“I’m overjoyed he got the job,” Neill remarked. “Pierce was desperate for the job, and he was excellent at it.” He was fantastic. I didn’t want the job, even though I could have done it. So everything works out in the end.”
