Fassbender Cheers on Daniel Craig During Bond Audition, Misses His Own Shot at 007
Imagine this: You walk into an audition to play one of the most iconic characters in film history—James Bond. It’s a nerve-wracking moment. You’ve been working hard to get there. You want to impress. You’re ready to own the role. And then… instead of talking up your own skills, you end up promoting the guy you’re up against. In short: you’re the world’s first-ever Bond hype man.
That’s precisely what Michael Fassbender did during his 2006 audition for Casino Royale. But instead of lobbying for himself, the actor ended up becoming a cheerleader for Daniel Craig, who would ultimately be cast as 007. During a recent guest appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Fassbender was candid about his misstep, recounting the moment when he accidentally campaigned for Craig’s Bond rather than pitching himself for the role. "I went in for an audition phase before Daniel [Craig] was cast, but I don’t think I was ever in the mix,” Fassbender explained.
Fair enough. But what really made the moment surreal was Fassbender’s next admission: “I remember going into that room and meeting with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. I think I was like, ‘Daniel Craig is…’ I don’t know why I was promoting him, I should have been promoting myself.” Now, it’s important to note: it’s not as though Fassbender showed up and started holding up Craig’s headshot like a cheerleader at a football game. But the irony is delicious—Fassbender, who would go on to lead franchises like X-Men and Assassin’s Creed, was out here acting as an unpaid publicist for his rival. Maybe, just maybe, the "best Bond" marketing campaign should have hired Fassbender in some capacity.
Fassbender was quick to own his blunder. “This is what I was saying, I was terrible at auditions,” he quipped, which—let's be real—is probably the most relatable statement ever uttered by an actor who’s gone on to have a stellar career. Hey, we all have our moments. Some of us just don’t end up hyping our competition for the most famous role in the world. While Fassbender didn’t get to slip into the iconic tuxedo, he wasn’t bitter. He had nothing but admiration for Craig’s portrayal of Bond, even calling him “the most successful Bond in history.” After all, Craig’s Bond reign, from Casino Royale (2006) to No Time to Die (2021), cemented him as one of the all-time greats in the 007 pantheon. But as we all know, Bond’s world is one of constant reinvention.
With Craig’s exit from the franchise, the search for the next Bond continues to make headlines. Amazon’s recent acquisition of MGM Studios, which will take creative control of the 60-year-old franchise, adds a new layer of intrigue to the mix. So, while Fassbender might have missed his shot at Bond, the quest for the next 007 is still very much alive.
