Pierce Brosnan, a former James Bond actor, stated that Oscar candidate and fellow Irishman Cillian Murphy would make a “magnificent” 007 role. Brosnan told the BBC that “Cillian would do a magnificent job as James Bond on His Majesty’s Secret Service.”
Though speculations regarding who will portray Bond next have always existed, reports indicate that Murphy may be in the race. Speaking at the yearly Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles, which honor Irish creative brilliance, was Brosnan.
Murphy, who was present at the event held at JJ Abrams’s Bad Robot Productions in Santa Monica, is the front-runner to win best actor at this Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards for his lead performance in Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan.
He admitted that he was unaware of the Bond rumors and that he had not given the possibility of taking home the Oscar any attention. “I just want to go in and have a good time.” He faces off against Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction), Colman Domingo (Rustin), Bradley Cooper (Maestro), and Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers).
Murphy’s Perspective on His Son’s Debut
Murphy also mentioned his sixteen-year-old son Aran, who is starring in his first movie, Klara And The Sun, directed by Taika Waititi. On the green carpet with an Irish theme, he told reporters, “I’m very proud of him, he’s a great actor,” and said that Aran didn’t need his dad’s instruction.
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In recognition of his services to the cinema and television industries, Brosnan declared himself “greatly honored” to receive an Oscar Wilde award. Praised the “kinship” that exists between America and Ireland, he said, adding that he arrived in the US “on a wing and a prayer… and then got a job, [on drama series] Remington Steele” in 1982.
He reminded the BBC of the abundance of talent in his native country, saying, “We come from a landscape of poetry… they’re great storytellers.” Richie Baneham, an Irish visual effects supervisor, and Molly Shannon, an Irish-American actress and comedian, were the other recipients this year.
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Shannon, who rose to prominence in the 1990s hosting Saturday Night Live (SNL), expressed her profound affection, stating, “I feel a strong bond with Ireland.” Baneham, who has won two Oscars, made a jest: “People keep telling me that James Bond (Brosnan) is overshadowing me, but in all honesty, I recognize him as Remington Steele.”
Baneham received his first Academy Award for best visual effects for the 2009 film Avatar, and then won again in the same category for the highly anticipated sequel Avatar: The Way of Water the following year. James Cameron, the director of both films, bestowed Baneham with his honor. Additionally, Baneham is developing the third Avatar film, which is scheduled for release in December 2025.