Pierce’s GoldenEye for meatier roles

[Blowfeld]

middevonstar.co.uk


Pierce Brosnan swap his tuxedo for chaps in his new film and explains to Eileen Condon why he's disappointed he was dropped as Bond
Pierce Brosnan is the first to admit his disappointment at not getting one more shot at the James Bond role, but the defiant Irish star has emerged with all guns blazing, literally.

The former 007 hero is starring in his first Western movie, Seraphim Falls, and says it's a boyhood dream come true.

"Doing a Western has always been top of my list," he said. "I've always wanted to do one. I have murky memories of watching black and white movies as a child at the Palace Cinema in Navan, Ireland, and Clint Eastwood in the Man With No Name movies. A Fistful Of Dollars and The Good, The Bad And The Ugly had the biggest wallop for me as a cinemagoer."

The film, which also stars Liam Neeson and Angelica Houston, is set at the end of the American Civil War and tells the story of two bitter enemies, Colonel Morsman Carver (Neeson) and Gideon (Brosnan), and their relentless, bloody quest for revenge.

The action-packed drama, which was filmed on location in Santa Fe, meant Pierce had to get back in the saddle and, at 55 years old, he admits there were gruelling moments out on the prairie.

"I used to ride a lot, so I've always been fond of horses, but I had not been up on a horse in about 10 years," he said. "It was a very physical shoot. We were in constant motion and it was bitterly cold."

Nowhere more so than a freezing cold waterfall which Pierce had to wade through.

"That was pretty intense," he said. "But it's all part of the craic. You have to be up for the game because you've read the script and you've signed on. You just try not to whinge about it."

"There's always a good whisky waiting at the other end, or maybe more than one whisky," he added.

It's this blend of pure professionalism and have-a-go attitude which made Pierce one of the most popular James Bonds to date.

He donned the famous tuxedo for more than a decade and introduced a whole new generation to 007 with hit films such as GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.

So it came as some surprise when the Bond makers suddenly pulled the plug on Pierce - a decision he claims he knew nothing about and one which left him just a little shaken and stirred.

He said: "I thought I'd do a fifth Bond. I wanted to do a fifth Bond.

"But I got a call from my agents saying the producers had changed their minds, which is their prerogative, but it was very disappointing and I was in shock for about 24 hours."

He added: "It's shocking to be told that you're too old; you're past your sell-by date. But you know, you have to let these things go."

Pierce says he would have loved to have starred in Casino Royale.

"Casino Royale formed the blueprint of Bond's character," he said.

"It's the one Fleming really painted in the details of what Bond was about, so I was disappointed it didn't happen, but you win some, you lose some.

"Towards the end, I did want to break out of the mould," he says of the iconic superspy. "I was always aware when I took the role if I got it right I would be labelled as Bond.

"I should have challenged myself sooner," he admits. "But I was getting away with looking like Mr Sleek and Mr Suave and it paid the rent for a while. But there has always been the nagging question of when I was going to find some dramas, good comedies and darker pieces.

"I had a glorious time as Bond and now it's time to experiment and try things out."

He's currently shooting edgy thriller Butterfly On A Wheel and looks set to voice Thomas The Tank Engine in a big screen version of the children's series.

[Commander 0077]

It will certainly be interesting to see PB's take on westerns. Will it be completely dark like Eastwood's Unforgiven or something more Dances With Wolves ?