A Perfect Surprise

Leaked at the pub: Is HE the new James Bond?

For months, there has been speculation about who might succeed Daniel Craig as the new Bond. But has the new 007 actually been chosen long ago?(Bild: AP/Michael Sohn)

Five years ago, Daniel Craig hung up his license to kill with the movie “No Time to Die.” Since then, 007 fans have been asking just one question: Who will follow in his footsteps? And while reports are still circulating about recent auditions and several favorites, the new Bond may already have been decided—and, of all places, the best-kept secret may have been revealed during a boozy night out at a pub.

As “The Sun” reported, Josh O’Connor is reportedly set to be seen soon as the new 007. Where did the British newspaper get this information? From, of all people, a fellow actor of the 36-year-old, who played Prince Charles in the hit Netflix series “The Crown.”

O’Connor Reportedly Spilled the Secret
It’s said that during a visit to a pub and after a few beers, he let the news slip.

The actor claims to have received the information directly from O’Connor himself. He shared the stage with O’Connor until recently in the play “Golden Boy.” And after the final performance on Halloween, O’Connor is said to have revealed the Bond secret. 

Josh O’Connor played Prince Charles in “The Crown.” He is now said to be set to take on the role of the new James Bond.(Bild: APA-Images / Everett Collection / ©Netflix)

No official confirmation yet
A few days later, the insider who provided “The Sun” with the news claims to have struck up a conversation with O’Connor’s acting buddy at the London pub “The French House.” According to the report, the friend couldn’t keep the “big news” to himself. After the insider expressed doubts about whether the information was actually true, the actor insisted that O’Connor had indeed landed the coveted role.

So far, however, Josh O’Connor has not been officially confirmed as the new James Bond.

“Nothing to say”
Interestingly, just this week the British actor commented in an interview on rumors that he was being considered as the new 007. “It’s an incredibly bizarre ‘pinch me, I’m dreaming’ moment (…) just to be mentioned in the same sentence and considered for something like that,” the 36-year-old said, according to the BBC.

Josh O’Conner spoke just this week about the rumors that he was being considered for the role of Bond. However, he did not yet want to confirm that he would become 007.(Bild: APA/ ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

Being placed in such a category is “extraordinary.” “But I’m afraid there’s nothing more to say beyond that,” he added.

Outshining Lowden and Turner?
The British actor is currently one of the most sought-after actors. He was most recently mentioned alongside fellow British actors Jack Lowden (“Slow Horses”) and Callum Turner (“Masters of the Air”) as a contender for the role of secret agent James Bond.

The “Hollywood Reporter” had already put O’Connor in the running nearly two years ago in a list of predictions. The rumor has persisted ever since.

One of Josh O’Connor’s upcoming films is “The Mastermind” (2025) by Kelly Reichardt. It’s about a botched art heist. In the tennis romance “Challengers” (2024), he starred alongside Zendaya.