Michael Fassbender championed Daniel Craig in a big way to be cast in the James Bond role he ultimately played for five films.
In a new interview, Fassbender revealed he auditioned for the 007 role but ultimately suggested producer cast Craig.
“I met with Barbara Broccoli just you know through passing and I actually went in to an audition phase before Daniel [Craig] was cast, but I don’t think I was ever in the mix,” Fassbender said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “But I remember going into that room and meeting with her and [Michael G.] Wilson and I think I was like, ‘Daniel Craig is…’ I don’t know why I was promoting him. I should have been promoting myself.”
Fassbender had noted he was “terrible at auditions,” admitting he had not done well in an audition for Mad Max: Fury Road when he arrived live to the meeting.
“Obviously, Daniel did a fantastic job and went on to be, I think, the most successful Bond in history. But that was it really, there was never a conversation after that,” he added.
Fassbender was one of several actors auditioning for the James Bond role for 2006’s Casino Royale. Pierce Brosnan had played the role for four films, the last being 2002’s Die Another Day.
As a new actor is set to take over the role, Fassbender had namedropped his Black Bag co-star Regé-Jean Page, telling Us Weekly the Bridgerton alum “could be a frontrunner after this, to be honest.”
“I think he’s fantastic. He’s got all the attributes,” Fassbender said. “So let’s wait and see.”
