James Bond film series actor Rory Kinnear said the next person to play 007 after Daniel Craig will not be a “frontrunner” or “highlighted” star like Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
The 44-year-old actor has starred in the last four Bond films, first appearing in Quantum Of Solace in 2008 as MI6 chief of staff Bill Tanner and last in No Time To Die in 2021.
Kinnear was asked on The One Show about the chances of Taylor-Johnson, 32, starring as the next Bond, after a “lot of noise” about the Kick-Ass and Bullet Train actor being up for the role.
He replied: “I always feel slightly bad for the people who are being highlighted, because that never tends to be them. They are very good at keeping the real person secret.
Kinnear, who also ruled himself out of playing Bond, added: “I’d be interested to see who does take over, obviously, but it tends not to be the frontrunner, that’s historically.”
The actor, also known for his roles in Penny Dreadful and The Imitation Game, will play Minibus magnate Dave Fishwick in the upcoming Netflix film Bank Of Dave.
Fishwick provides affordable loans since 2011 through Burnley Savings and Loans.
He's got that 007 know-how! 🕵️
Rory Kinnear on who the next James Bond may or may not be! 👀#TheOneShow 👉 https://t.co/Wgo9enemgm pic.twitter.com/J8my0QjPKa
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) January 6, 2023
Kinnear said he had to ask for a “Dave exclusion zone to be created” around the filming after meeting the businessman for the “incredibly heart-warming and positive story”.
He said: “(Fishwick) was incredibly excited about the whole thing as who wouldn’t be when you’re having your life story made by people.
“But it was quite odd speaking to him and then having to go straight and doing a tape because obviously I was playing him but I was also playing sort of my version of him.
“So I did have to sort of ask for a Dave exclusion zone to be created, sort of a few metres out.”
Exciting News!! The Bank of Dave Netflix Movie features here tonight! @BBCTheOneShow Rory Kinnear who plays me in the Movie is live in the studio talking about our film @Netflix #BankofDave The Movie @BBCOne https://t.co/9PvgHa1oyN
— Bank on Dave (@FishwickDavid) January 6, 2023
In a video message on the BBC show, Fishwick said: “I just wanted to say, a huge thank you to you for playing me, you look more like me than I do, your accent is brilliant.
“I remember when we met, at first, you came to the front door and knocked on the door, here in my house, and you said: ‘Dave meet Dave’ and I thought he’ll do for me.”
Fishwick founded his loans company in the wake of the financial crash and in reaction to the impact it had on the North of England.
Kinnear added: “It’s just making banking a little bit smaller and I think that his full ambition would be other people start doing the same thing in local banks and regional communities that serve the local community themselves.”
Bank Of Dave is coming to Netflix on January 16.