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How Downton Abbey’s Matthew Goode ruined his chance of being James Bond

BBG News

Downton Abbey star Matthew Goode has explained how he ruined his chance at being James Bond.

In conversation with Josh Horowitz on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Goode shared insights from his encounter with Bond producer, Barbara Broccoli.

According to Goode, he didn’t try out for a role; instead, he had a meeting directly with Barbara, the producer who, along with her partner Michael G Wilson, recently passed on creative control of the Bond franchise, with Amazon MGM Studios now in charge.

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As reported by Goode, the actor shared with Broccoli his desire for his interpretation of the renowned MI6 spy to stay true to Ian Fleming’s depiction of the British secret agent as presented in the initial novels.

Goodness, I couldn’t make it to the audition,” he clarified further, disclosing an amusing incident: “She’s stunning and simply delightful, yet she inquired humorously, ‘What’s your concept for Bond?’

I suggested, ‘Let’s revisit Bond in a way that’s reminiscent of the books. We should portray him as an alcoholic and drug user, struggling with self-hatred, misogyny, and general disdain for many others. He should be incredibly skilled at killing but also deeply tormented.’

During the interview, Goode humorously remarked, “‘Mhmm. Next,’ seemed to be her response.” He also pointed out that he should have made it clear that despite his ominous proposal, James Bond would remain “extremely charismatic” throughout.

Eventually, Daniel Craig secured the prestigious role and first appeared as James Bond in the 2006 movie “Casino Royale.” He went on to play Bond in four more films before bidding farewell to the character in the 2021 film “No Time to Die,” marking his last portrayal of the spy.

Instead of reprising his role as Henry Talbot in the last Downton Abbey movie, Goode shared his reasons for not accepting the offer to play Bond again.

The actor stated, “I needed surgery and it would take several weeks to recover, meaning I wouldn’t have been available for anything during that time.” He further explained that at that point, his calendar was filled with the Netflix show titled “Dept. Q.

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2025-06-28 02:49

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