Henry Cavill nearly wore a tuxedo instead of a cape.
In 2005, Cavill auditioned for the role of James Bond in Casino Royale. According to director Martin Campbell, Cavill and Daniel Craig were the finalists to replace Pierce Brosnan as 007. For years, fans have wondered what Cavill’s interpretation of Bond would have been like. Thanks to a leaked video, these fans now get their wish.
Cavill’s Bond audition has leaked online. Posted to Ron South’s YouTube channel, Cavill is seen reading lines from a scene in 1995’s GoldenEye. Cavill is only 22 in the video, while sporting long black hair. According to the video’s description, the video came from a “VHS tape found in a recycling bin at a movie studio.”
Please enable Javascript to view this content
As the story goes, Craig won the role and played the iconic spy in five movies. Producers opted to go with an older version of Bond — Craig was 37 in 2005 — instead of an early-20s spy. Despite losing the role, Cavill won over Campbell, who praised Cavill’s “tremendous” audition.
“He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous,” Campbell told The Express in June 2023. “And look, if Daniel didn’t exist Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then.”
Cavill’s name is still mentioned in James Bond rumors as Eon searches for the next actor to replace Craig. Producer Barbara Broccoli recently said that the next 007 will be in his 30s, which rules out the 41-year-old Cavill.
The next James Bond movie remains undated.