Now that they’ve finally cast Daniel Craig as 007, the James Bond producers still have to finish another extensive casting search to find his leading lady for Casino Royale. Contrary to rumor, Variety reports, they still haven’t settled on anyone yet. Apparently, you can forget such top-of-the-wish-list names as Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie (who, now that she’s announced that there’s a Brangelina baby on the way, probably won’t be doing any Lara Croft-type stuntwork for a while). One rumored name was Craig’s Layer Cake costar Sienna Miller. Among the four women reportedly testing for the role are Natasha Henstridge and Australian actress Kimberly Davies.
I’m not sure who I’d want to cast, since Bond Girl is a career-killer role unless you’re already an established actress. (It’s no problem if you’re Halle Berry or Michelle Yeoh, but have you ever seen Izabella Scorupco or Maryam D’Abo again?) I’d like to see someone more exotic than the usual Euromodel types play the part: say, Eva Mendes (above), or Thandie Newton, or Sofia Vergara.
Who would you pick, PopWatchers?
Reese Witherspoon
Thandie Newton already sort of played the part in MI2. She would be a good fit.
Eva Mendes? That woman can’t act to save her life! She ruined every scene of “Hitch” that she was in. I love the movie but only if I fast forward her scenes.
You don’t exactly have to be Meryl Streep to be a Bond Girl. I think Eva Mendes is a great choice if they are going the usual route because she really looks the part, and let’s face it, that is what works in a Bond movie.
I would have suggested another American,but after Halle Berry, how could they do any better? I’d say they should hook Bond up with the woman from House of Flying Daggers (the Geisha lady), the hot Latina from “My Name is Earl”, or Gina “damn that woman is too fine” Torres from Firefly. In an ideal Bond movie, all three!
eva mendes is a LOUSY actress! angelina would have been great. tandie newton isn a good choice already did it in MI2. gina toress is a good idea. what about rachel weiz, cate blanchet?
How about Kate Beckinsale? Not exactly exotic, but definitely HOT!
Eva Mendez would be cool, but so would Stephenie from Survivor! They have the same acting talent, but Stephenie is waaayyyy HOTTER!
I think that Sofia Vergara is on the list of ‘not established enough for this not to kill her career’ so I don’t want to do that to her. And Eva would be good but only if Bond was someone else. Why didn’t they pick Jeremy Northam or Ioan Gruffund anyway???
How about Jen Garner?
Rachel Weisz would be great, but alas, she’s preggers as well. I see Cate Blanchett as M more than a Bond girl. How about Sanaa Lathan or Penelope Cruz?
I think Aishwarya Rai would make an excellent Bond Girl, if you have no idea who she is, she is #7 on E’s 101 Hottest Celebrity Bodies and also in the movie Bride and Prejudice
I agree. Eva Mendes brings back memories of old hollywood, exotic beauties (i.e. like sofia loren, yvonne de carlo, raquel welch, etc.) and is the only one in hollywood who can really give angelina a run for her money. is hollywood really so racist as to ignore this fact? the woman was the female lead in one of the biggest comedies of last year but yet there isn’t much “brouhaha” surrounding her. how typical of hollywood!
i vote for eva mendes, not the best actress, but not the worst by any means! and she’s beautiful and sexy. i’d also nominate salma hayek…so naturally beautiful, sexy and curves for days!
Thnadie Newton would be hot in ANY role. But I think they should rectify the HUGE mistake they made 11 years ago when they passed on Sela Ward for Tomorrow Never Dies. Sela is just as hot now, if not hotter and one of the most impressive actresses around. Her being in the cast would actually get me to watch a Bond movie.