How old was Sean Connery when making each James Bond film? James Bond is one of the most recognizable characters and franchises in the world. Created by novelist Ian Fleming, James Bond is an elite British super spy who is also referred to by his codename, 007. The legendary character has been portrayed in film by seven actors, with the most recent being Daniel Craig, who is set to star as James Bond for the final time in No Time To Die.
The first actor to ever play Bond on the big screen was Connery. When the novel was first being developed as a movie in the early 1960s, producers originally wanted actor Cary Grant to play 007. However, Grant would not commit to anything past one film due to his old age of 58. Producers intended to make the films part of a series so they elected to find a younger actor that could star in multiple movies. Eventually, Connery, who was in his early 30s, won the coveted role and first portrayed Bond in 1962's Dr. No. Connery is credited with bringing the character to new heights, and the iconic line, "Bond. James Bond" has been used in many James Bond movies since.
Overall, Connery starred in seven films as James Bond, spanning over 20 years. Connery's first appearance as James Bond came at age 32 and his last was at age 53, but that's because he took a break and returned to the role after several years. Here's how old Sean Connery was at the time of release for each James Bond movie.
- Dr. No (1962): 32
- From Russia with Love (1963): 33
- Goldfinger (1964): 34
- Thunderball (1965): 35
- You Only Live Twice (1967): 36
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971): 41
- Never Say Never Again (1983): 53
The last two films, Diamonds Are Forever and Never Say Never Again, are of significance because other actors portrayed Bond in the years prior. After You Only Live Twice, Connery retired from the Bond role. After George Lazenby left after one Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Connery was brought back to the franchise in 1971 for Diamonds Are Forever, thanks to a record salary of $1.25 million. Then 12 years later, Connery appeared in Never Say Never Again at age 53. It's one of two James Bond films to not be produced by Eon Productions, with the other film being 1967's Casino Royale. At the time, Roger Moore was Eon Productions' James Bond. In 2002, there were talks of Connery appearing in Die Another Day, but those discussions never came to fruition.
Connery helped launch James Bond from an interesting character in a novel to a global sensation. Connery's Bond is regarded as one of the best in the series because he set the standard and laid the foundation for future portrayals of the character. Though Connery has not appeared as James Bond since 1983, his impact on the franchise will never be forgotten.
