Tom Francis, best known for appearing opposite Nicole Scherzinger in Jamie Lloyd’s unconventional revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard,” may be ordering his martinis shaken, not stirred.
The 26-year-old British actor, whose reputation rests primarily on his stage work, has auditioned to play James Bond, a source with knowledge of the 007 search tells Variety. He’s one of many performers jockeying for the part in a casting process that is ongoing and being overseen by Nina Gold. Reps for Francis and Amazon MGM Studios, the producer and financier of the Bond franchise, had no comment.
Other names that have been rumored, but not confirmed, include Jacob Elordi, the Oscar-nominated star of “Frankenstein” and “Euphoria”; Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who has appeared in “Godzilla” and won a Golden Globe for “Nocturnal Animals”; and Callum Turner, who recently headlined “Eternity” opposite Elizabeth Olsen and is set to star alongside Monica Barbaro in “One Night Only.” Another name floated by an insider was Cosmo Jarvis of “Shōgun,” who enjoyed a breakout role in last year’s Alex Garland film “Warfare.” The gruff heartthrob, however, is not in contention per his rep.
“Cosmo is not in the mix for the role of James Bond and is not auditioning for it,” the spokesperson for Jarvis said.
Francis won an Olivier Award for his work in “Sunset Boulevard” and was nominated for a Tony Award. His performance of the title song saw him walking through New York City’s theater district as cameras captured his every move — a show-stopping theatrical moment that became a cultural event in the city.
However, the multi-talented Francis has a lean resume when it comes to screen performances. He had a small role in “Jay Kelly,” the recent George Clooney vehicle, but is set to appear in Peter Berg’s “The Mosquito Bowl,” a sports drama set in World War II that also features Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård. Francis made his TV debut in the final season of the Netflix series “You.”
Alex Ritman contributed to this report.
