With 27 films released between 1962 and 2021 and a new one on the way, James Bond is possibly the oldest, longest-running franchise in the world today. Based on the works of Ian Fleming, The suave British spy who thwarts the evil plans of supervillains and saves the world, was born in the midst of the cold war and has endured splendidly since then. With a total of 7 esteemed actors portraying 007 since 1962 across more than two dozen films, let’s see how each Bond ranks against one another in our James Bond Actors Ranked list.
7. George Lazenby
James Bond Actors Ranked
The second actor to play Bond only once (the first being David Niven), George Lazenby played 007 in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Like Niven, Lazenby was not given multiple opportunities to flesh out his character more, and thus, his Bond is more of an anecdote across the seven decades of the character. Lazenby’s outing is thus the weakest one, as he is never believable as someone who is both a womanizer and an effortless killer.
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6. David Niven
Niven played Bond only once, in 1967’s Casino Royale. Critics remained unimpressed by the actor, calling his outing subdued when compared to the fantastic Sean Connery, who came before him. The contrast between Niven and Connery was so great that the producers had to drop Niven only after one film. The fact that Niven never returned to play Bond again meant that he never had an opportunity to develop his Bond, like most of his peers did.
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5. Roger Moore
James Bond Actors Ranked
Roger Moore managed to put an elegant and debonair spin on the iconic spy, bringing in an amenable personality to manage the comedy and action. The Moore era films were some of the most lighthearted films of the entire franchise, and yet, the audiences seem to like them wholeheartedly. Moore would appear in a total of seven Bond films, earning more than a billion dollars across his stint.
Moore’s charming, elegant 007 would leave a lasting legacy on the franchise. From 1973’s Live and Let Die to 1985’s A View to Kill, Moore made Bond a cultured, impeccably dressed secret agent who used both mocking wit and innuendo to complete his missions.
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4. Pierce Brosnan
In 1994, it was British heartthrob Pierce Brosnan who took over the mantle from Timothy Dalton. With Golden Eye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World is Not Enough (1999), and Die Another Day (2002), Brosnan would star in a total of four Bond films. Not only would he subdue some of the misogynistic aspects of the character from the previous era, but he would also push back significantly against Bond smoking, highlighting the increased cancer risks. Mixing action with a dash of wit, the Brosnan era Bond films would be the last time we would see the character a little less serious and with significant outlandish technology, before the character would inevitably be ‘Nolanized’ in the 2000s.
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3. Timothy Dalton
Dalton would play Bond in only two films, 1987’s The Living Daylights and 1989’s License to Kill, before legal issues related to the franchise led to the expiration of his contract. Several notable critics have noticed an eerie similarity between Dalton and Craig’s portrayals of the characters. Both played flawed, self-hating individuals who prioritized tenacity and a lack of overt humor to get the job done. A darker take on Bond, Dalton’s iteration has been often compared to Bruce Wayne as he minimized the sense of humor of the character and instead dove headfirst into the more serious aspects. We wish Dalton had played the character in a couple of more films.
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2. Sean Connery
Esteemed Scottish Thespian Sean Connery was the first to step into the shoes of 007, portraying Bond in a total of 7 films. Five of these flicks (Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice) were released between 1962 and 1967 while Connery managed to return for two more (1971’s Diamonds are Forever and 1983’s Never Say Never Again) when legal battles between Fleming and the producers interfered with the Bond actors of that era.
James Bond Actors Ranked
Quite possibly the most famous Bond, Connery’s 007 was rugged, promiscuous, and cold-blooded. He epitomized Bond, turning him into a cultural zeitgeist across the world. If Craig is the bond of this generation, Connery is undoubtedly your grandfather’s favourite Bond.
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1. Daniel Craig
After the cartoony hijinks of the Pierce Brosnan era, Eon and MGM settled on Daniel Craig to segue Bond into the post 9/11 era. Blowing everyone away with his first outing in Casino Royale (2007), Craig was touted as the greatest Bond yet; his steel blue eyes coupled with a penchant for brutal violence stood him out from the rest. A sequel, Quantum of Solace, followed two years later, which doubled down on the character. With middling reviews, Eon decided to hand the reins over to veteran filmmaker Sam Mendes, who managed to make the first billion-dollar-grossing Bond film, Skyfall. Skyfall would later be considered the greatest Bond film ever made.
James Bond Actors Ranked
Mendes and Craig reunited for 2015’s Spectre as well, managing to weave together threads from all previous Craig outings. Spectre unfortunately sputtered, and thus True Detective director Carry Joji Fukunaga was picked to direct the final Bond instalment, No Time to Die.
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In a microcosm, everyone has their own personal taste, and each Bond represents the cultures of his time. It should also be noted that there is no bad Bond performance. While some may prefer the charm of Connery and others may be more in line with the suaveness of Brosnan, I personally think Craig managed to do Bond the most justice, and his films were not only smart political thrillers but also a commentary on the disasters of technology, terrorism, and corruption. As Amazon takes over the Bond franchise, it remains to be seen how the next Bond will manage to tackle the sensibilities of the modern world while staying true to the character.
James Bond Actors Ranked
