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Theo James has insisted he is 'too old' to play James Bond, ruling himself out of the hotly contested race to take over from Daniel Craig.
Speculation about who will be the next 007 has been rife for months and recently heightened after Amazon MGM Studios announced in May that auditions were finally taking place.
Theo's name has always been in the mix but the star of Netflix hit The Gentlemen has said at age 41 'I'm definitely too old now' despite Daniel being 51 by the time he shot his final Bond movie.
Age isn't the only factor that has put Theo off the role though, as he insists the part is 'an example of a place you could never come back from'.
Speaking to British GQ, the actor recalled the ravenous attention the Divergent movie franchise brought to his door a decade ago.
Just when his fame was reaching its peak, Theo stepped back from the limelight, choosing smaller projects that helped him hone his craft, and even briefly considered studying for an oceanography degree at the University of Santa Cruz, California.
Theo James has insisted he is 'too old' to play James Bond, ruling himself out of the hotly contested race to take over from Daniel Craig as 007
'Imagine, suddenly, you and I cannot walk down the street. What that does to your children, who are trying to find themselves in the midst of hyper-scrutiny and fame,' Theo, who is married to Irish actress Ruth Kearney with whom he shares two young kids, says now of the path he could have chosen.
'None of that, to me, is worth it. At the time, it's very intoxicating, being offered some huge, sexy part that would change your life forever. But it really wouldn't ultimately be worth it.'
He says whilst he is fiercely protective of his private life, his stance on how to handle fan interactions has changed as he's got older.
'It's funny with selfies. When I was younger, I used to be really allergic to them,' he said.
'So I used to say no – but the problem with saying no, I found, is that it elongates the moment. Obviously, it's very nice, and you want to service someone who is invested in any way.'
'But at the same time, there's the existential problem of what is your job? What is identity? What belongs to the public and what doesn't?'
With Theo ruling himself out, another name has emerged as the recent front-runner to take on Bond.
Speculation about who will take over from Daniel Craig (pictured as Bond) recently heightened after Amazon MGM Studios announced in May that auditions were finally taking place
Jack Lowden has been tipped as a favourite, with 007 producers said to be 'strongly considering' the Slow Horses star.
Presenter Richard Osman said recently on his podcast The Rest Is Entertainment: 'Someone told me for definite who the new Bond is the other day, but I mean that's happened before. The name I've heard is Jack Lowden.'
Richard cautioned: 'It is definitiely not a 'he's definitely got it' thing. He is definitely being strongly considered. I think he'd be amazing.'
His co-host Marina Hyde agreed, pointing out that at 36, Lowden is 'a good age. You have to have the longevity. They've got to do at least two movies and he's a good age for it.'
Richard said the actor has 'real Daniel Craig energy', adding that he 'is such a brilliant actor. Can be funny, can definitely do action. I mean, I think he'd be sensational.'
Richard and Marina's podcast was discussing new research which reveals the public's top picks for Bond are Tom Hardy, 48, Henry Cavill, 43, and James Norton, who recently ruled himself out, admitting at age 41, like Theo, he feels relieved he is now seen as 'too old'.
Theo has been in the mix for months but the star has said at age 41 'I'm definitely too old now, for one,' despite Daniel being 51 by the time he shot his final Bond movie
The podcasters pointed out that the public can't necessarily be relied upon to pick the right actor.
'If you look back at every single James Bond that has ever been appointed, not a single one of them would have been chosen by the public, apart from maybe one,' said Richard, referring to 1995-2002 Bond Pierce Brosnan.
'You have to rely on the film producers to choose someone the public doesn't know they want... Daniel Craig definitely wouldn't have been chosen by the public. They were furious about it at the time.'
'That was Barbara Broccoli's call completely the Daniel Craig call,' Marina agreed. 'And it was really ballsy because everyone was like "what on earth are you talking about?" The second they see Casino Royale they're like "oh yeah, no you're right, that is the right call".'
Bond producer Amy Pascal gave an update on the audition process earlier this month explaining: 'We are being really, really methodical. Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio, I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow.'
'And it's got to be something really different that is stirring and exciting and different,' she added.
Auditions for the new Bond finally opened in May, five years after the famed spy's last outing on the big screen.
Age isn't the only factor that has put Theo off the role though, insisting the part is 'an example of a place you could never come back from'
That announcement was delayed after the Broccoli family, which held an iron grip on the franchise for decades, handed over creative control to Amazon MGM Studios.
The production company, which was formed when Amazon bought MGM in 2022, has been quiet on who might fill Craig's boots, but in May it teased there will be 'exciting 007 news' in the coming months.
In a statement revealing it was auditioning actors for the role, Amazon MGM Studios said: 'The search for the next James Bond is underway.
'While we don't plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we're excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.'
At the end of June, insiders told Deadline that director Villeneuve had begun informing talent who had made the next round of auditions.
Read the full feature in the September issue of British GQ available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday, August 25.