Few people know the weight of the tuxedo better than Pierce Brosnan. As Amazon MGM closes in on its choice for the eighth James Bond, the former 007 has shared his thoughts on the shortlist — and he is careful not to pick a side.

“Just an audience member now”

Brosnan, 73, played the secret agent four times, with his final outing coming in 2002, before the role eventually passed to Daniel Craig. Speaking to Vanity Fair, the Irish actor insisted he is now simply a fan waiting for the big reveal.

“Oh, I’m just an audience member now,” he said, describing himself as “the man in the street” who is keen to see who lands the part.

He praised the whole field, saying: “All the men who are on the list now are actors I admire.” He added that each of them has “a voice and a physique, and a presence on film.”

A past connection with Callum Turner

While he stayed diplomatic, Brosnan does have first-hand experience of one contender. He worked with Callum Turner on director Marc Webb’s 2017 drama The Only Living Boy in New York.

According to The Sun, Turner is one of four actors who took part in final screen tests at Bray Studios in October, along with Slow Horses star Jack Lowden and Josh O’Connor. The fourth name has not been officially confirmed, though the outlet reports that the studio is keen on Jack Barton, known for the Netflix series Heartstopper.

Brosnan offered the eventual winner his warm wishes. “Whoever plays the role, I wish him the very best of life and strength and courage,” he said, adding that he “eagerly” awaits the announcement.

Lowden plays it cool

Lowden is widely seen as the frontrunner, but he has avoided adding fuel to the speculation. In a recent GQ interview he called the attention “very flattering” while saying he was “not really going to add to the noise.”

He also thanked his Slow Horses co-star Gary Oldman, who has publicly backed him for the job, calling Oldman “a sweetheart” while admitting he does not really listen to the chatter.

Who has been ruled out

The role has been vacant since No Time To Die in 2021, Craig’s fifth and final film as Bond. The Sun reports that Jacob Elordi is not believed to be the fourth actor in the screen tests, while Idris Elba, Theo James and James Norton have also been ruled out.

Bookmakers are still busy, too. Ladbrokes says Robert Pattinson’s odds have dropped from 50/1 to 12/1, with the company’s Nicola McGeady calling it “the biggest Bond gamble we’ve seen.”

For now, Brosnan is happy to watch from the sidelines like the rest of us.

Source: The Sun.