46 replies to this topic

[Blofeld's Cat]

Imagine playing James Bond and screen testing Saffron Burrows, Salma Hayak, and Sophie Ellis Bextor in a love sceen from FRWL.

Its a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Half your luck, Colin.

Safron is no stranger to action movies. She did a good job in Deep Blue Sea.

[Blue Eyes]

I thought I'd just respond to a few of the comments written here.

As far as I'm concerned Saffron Burrows is Bond Girl material. It's about time we had an English Bond Girl as well! She's a good actress (I've only seen her in two things, so I could be wrong), especially in Michael Apted's Enigma. And as Blofelds Cat points out, when it comes to action she's no newbie.

As for Hayek. I don't know. Can she act? I can't think of anything I've seen her in to be honest with you. It's interesting that both she and Burrow's have co-starred twice now. Could this be a third time.

We are in need of a few Bond Girls after all. Halle Berry is an evil role, so it's not a gaurntee that Bond will go bed hopping with her - but it is likely. We have Gala Brand, perhaps that Dr Warmflash of Bond 20? I guess they could cast both Hayek and Burrows.

And then theres Ellix-Bextor. May I say on an International scale, who? She's never had any acting experience, bar auditioning for Moulin Rogue which is hardly noteworthy as she got nowhere.

My money, if this news is true, is on Burrows. She's the not so heard of actress that nearly always get cast as the lead Bond Girl. I understand what James says about the PR of Hayek being better (again who's saying they don't both get cast). But at the moment which is better PR: Hayek or Berry. Bond 20 already has it's big name as a female role. It doesn't need any publicity from Hayek. After all, at the moment she's nowhere near as big as Berry (Oscar nods, X-Men 2) 2002 will be a huge year for Berry.

[remy]

I'm not sure I follow here. Does this imply that ms Hynek is still a possibility?

[ShockTroop22]

Are screen tests for MAJOR characters still taking place 11 days before filming starts?

[Blue Eyes]

Ethan Hunt (04 Jan, 2002 03:41 a.m.):
Well if the rumours are true and Bond IS going to Korea, then it would seem a little strange to hav a latino Bond in an Asian country, not that I'm saying it cant happen, just that it seems a little wierd.

Yes it would in an Asian country. However, a dark American in an Asian country may seem strange as well. Though I feel that Berry's role is that of a mercenary.

That said, don't forget the rumour that Cadiz, Spain will appear as Cuba. Now that might be a place you'd find Hayek. In fact, that's the only reason I believe the Hayek news - the two rumours work well with eachother.

[ShockTroop22]

So our two favourites are Salma and Saffron so far.

[Blue Eyes]

Any news on a source for this info James?

[ppk]

I dont know about the other girls, but I dont think Salma Hayek is that bad. You guys are acting like its another Denise Richards all over again.
But Hayek is a pretty good actress. Not great, but she has experience, more then Richards can say.

Michael Apted is a gifted dramatic director, I don't understand why he would allow Denise Richards to play a nuclear scientist as a wide-eyed teenager.Did he do it on purpose or was that already her best performance under Apted's direction?

I think both Saffron Burrows and Salma Hayek would make a good Bond girl.
They are really gorgeous women that fit the bill. Just a bit worried about Saffron Burrows' acting after watching Deep Blue Sea, she is pretty wooden in it. Is she good in Enigma?( another Apted film) I really can't believe Hayek is 34 years old! She looks much younger than Burrows, IMO.And she is pretty short,right? Just 5'2". But this can be overcome by shooting in certain angles or wearing high heels etc.

[James Page]

Echo?

Echo?

:-D

[White Persian]

MisterKKBB (03 Jan, 2002 07:27 p.m.):
I'm especially interested seeing footage of the ten actors who auditioned for the part of Bond back in the early 90s.

I'd love to see these too, but I imagine they'd need to get permission of the actors concerned and I'm not sure that many would like to be publicised for a role they *failed* to get.

It'd be nice to see Tim Dalton doing the scene with Tracy from OHMSS as well as Pierce's tests from 86.

The test that impressed me much more than I thought it would is James Brolin's.

[Jim]

Sophie Ellis Bextor.

I've started the year badly with comments about Carole Bouquet's moustache (see elsewhere) and so before I get screamed at again, know this chums: the following is the wife's opinion, not mine. However, I will agree with the wife. I say that to avoid another kicking on the one remaining ankle. It's easier that way.

"She looks like one of the Smash martians".

How lucky I am to have a missus versed in early-Eighties UK pop culture which is meaningless to anybody else. The fights we've had about Bagpuss were terrifying.

Another pearler from the wife:

"Everybody's head is egg shaped. But most people have it vertically".

I wonder whether the little woman is jealous. The fact that she'd tear my face off with a broken wine glass if she knew I'd refer to her as "the little woman" makes me want to end here as I come over all shivery. Lucky old all shivery, you might think.


That was filth, wasn't it?

[sainttemplar]

James Page (03 Jan, 2002 06:22 p.m.):
Due to Pierce Brosnan having other commitments, EON have substituted 007 for the latest Bond girl screentests. Colin Salmon, who has played MI6 aide "Robinson" in the last two films ("Tomorrow Never Dies", "The World Is Not Enough") has stepped in to Bond's shoes to help out.

EON's usual routine for testing prospective Bond girls has fallen in to the usual pattern of a short mock-publicity photo shoot and a screentest love scene: Tatiana Romanova's seduction of Bond in his hotel room from the second film in the series "From Russia With Love".

"I really enjoyed the audition with Saffron Burrows," he says, "and Salma Hayek was great. Sophie Ellis Bextor came along too but I can't tell you any more it would be more than my job's worth."

Full article on MI6http://www.mi6.co.uk

I would remind everyone that as of End December Rachel Grant hasn't been ruled out.(Unless the current auditions mean otherwise).Of course there may be scheduling conflicts with her tv series Warriors of Combat.Grant has been considered to star with Pierce previously but was too young.

[remy]

Indeed, we shall, Shocktroop!

If she makes the grade, Eon need not worry about the location shooting. There's enough natural landscape on Salma alone to fill 3 Bond films.

[JimmyBond]

I dont know about the other girls, but I dont think Salma Hayek is that bad. You guys are acting like its another Denise Richards all over again. But Hayek is a pretty good actress. Not great, but she has experience, more then Richards can say.

[MisterKKBB]

Ah, the good old "From Russia With Love" auditions. I wish we could see more footage of those on future DVD's just like we saw footage from the auditions of Izabella Scorupco, Maude Adams, James Brolin, Maryam d'Abo and Sam Neill. I'm especially interested seeing footage of the ten actors who auditioned for the part of Bond back in the early 90s.

But back to business at hand. I like Saffron Burrows. Especially because she's not a standard voluptuous Bond girl. She looks very sophisticated, British and mature (something a Bond girl needs imho). She's one hell of an actress also. The same cannot be said about Salma Hayek. But she is quite a looker, I give you that. Maybe my opinions on her will change after seeing "Frida". Can I just say I absolutely love Sophie Ellis Bextor. Her song 'Take Me Home' has been one of my favorite 2001 songs. If she doesn't get an acting job (she's too young to play a Bond girl I think), can she please sing the titlesong?

[Jay]

I'm saying that the user, Pierce B, is very reliable, everything he has hited too has been true! He is there inside guy, kind of like our Tim 007, I don't know but he seems to be on the up and up! I know what you mean with the script but this guy has been dead on in the past and besides I feel Burrows is the best choice, she's British, beautiful, not a house hold name but probably on par with Sophie Marceau, who I only knew before TWINE in Braveheart and that was it! Saffron also has that Bond girl look, I can't quite put my finger on it but if you notice most Bond girls are not voluptuous they are beautiful in a classy way! beside I also tend to believe this because as mentioned above Bond 20 has there marquee name in Halle Berry I think Salma and Halle would A) be too expensive and too Hollywood for a Bond movie!

[James Page]

I think Hayek is a major crowd puller (no comment ), far more than Berry - especially off US soil.

From the main news...

Finally, a big thank you to James Bond from our partner site MI6 for the tip-off about the news.

RAOTFLMAO! Anyone else spot the typo? :-D

Cheers for the credit anyways Daniel. I posted the story to Ananova this arbo so it may hit bigtime coverage soon.