Sam Worthington: Why I'll never play 007

[Blowfeld]

James Wigney
The Sunday Telegraph
November 06, 2011 12:00AM
WHEN Pierce Brosnan stepped down as James Bond in 2005, Sam Worthington made the final list of three to replace him as 007.

At the time, he was relatively unknown internationally.

But now, having become one of the world's most in-demand actors thanks to his role in Avatar, Worthington wouldn't have a bar of Bond - just as he wasn't interested when he was approached to replace Matt Damon in the Bourne spy franchise.

"I'm going to lay down a hundred bucks," he says with a laugh when reminded he is still 3-1 favourite with online bookies to replace Daniel Craig should he decide to hang up the tux and holster the Walther PPK.

"In fact, I'm going to phone up the Broccolis (Bond's producers) just to win the money. It's like with the Jason Bourne series recently.

"We talked about it and part of me goes, 'That's a franchise that has been created and helped along by other people'.

"What intrigues me more is the chance to start my own franchise and put my own stamp on a character that is iconic rather than just jumping on something that is already established. I like the risk of getting my own one going."

In his latest film, The Debt, Worthington finally has the chance to play a secret agent - but it's about as far from Bourne or Bond as you can get.

In the thriller he plays one of a trio of Israeli Mossad agents on the hunt for a Nazi war criminal, known as the "Surgeon of Birkenau", in 1960s East Berlin.

"They were young, idealistic people and not necessarily trained killers," Worthington says.

"That's the difference between Jason Bourne and James Bond and other fictionalised spies. They are almost world weary, whereas we had an innocence we wanted to portray."

Worthington was making Terminator Salvation in Albuquerque when he was approached by The Debt's director John Madden to play the part of crucial part of the repressed, on-edge David.

"The greatest thing about doing movies over here (in Hollywood) is that you work with a different calibre of people and you learn so much and bring that back to your own industry and help support it.

"To come back and be able to push each other in that way, that's the exciting thing, to be able to give back to the industry that helped you start your own career," Worthington says.

[Alessandra]

Worthington didn't make the final 3, but that's another matter (note how he used to say he was the final contender, now it's final 3 since Henry Cavill has revealed what ACTUALLY happened and HE was the last man standing vs Craig). I'm just relieved. I can well do without him as Bond. He doesn't have the class to pull it off. And we've had enough classless behaviour with Craig already.

[buffybond]

He looks as bad in a suit as old man Dan, they both seem to look short and stubby when wearing suits.

[Alessandra]

He looks as bad in a suit as old man Dan, they both seem to look short and stubby when wearing suits.

I do not know why that happens but it's true. I don't think Worthington is that short.. Craig is definitely not tall so the suit just underlines, his.. quality

[bjmdds]

Worthington sucks.......case closed.........

[Omega]

I was a big Sam for Bond supporter but not any more. He would be better than Craig but only just, he is as classless as Craig and just as arrogant because he struggled and knows he has it made.

I do think his Terminator movie was pretty good the first twist on it in years, I do not think John Conner was necessary and I do think Sam Worthington would be more this generation Bond than Craig who is nothing to do with this generation if he were his movies might actually make money..

[Kristatos]

I was a big Sam for Bond supporter but not any more. He would be better than Craig but only just, he is as classless as Craig and just as arrogant because he struggled and knows he has it made.

Yeah, I've kind of soured on him too. He looks the part (I think he looks like a younger Pierce in some shots), but I'm not sure he has the screen presence. Still better than Craig, though.

[Gary Seven]

Sam Worthington said:

"What intrigues me more is the chance to start my own franchise and put my own stamp on a character that is iconic rather than just jumping on something that is already established. I like the risk of getting my own one going."

But surely Daniel Craig did that with Bond by completely changing the formula (putting his own "stamp" on the character) so it would be possible for Worthington to change Bond.

[Dr. No]

Yeah but people still ask Craig why he isn't like the old bonds and why his movies are not like the other movies so he still has that baggage but I agree he just about made it unrecognizable