Has Hollywood's most closely watched casting secret slipped out over drinks?
Josh O'Connor is facing fresh speculation that he could become the next James Bond after a report claimed one of his theatre co-stars told a source he had secured the role. The claim remains unconfirmed.
According to Page Six, citing The Sun, an unnamed member of the Golden Boy cast allegedly said O'Connor had shared the news during celebrations following the production's Halloween closing. The secondhand account has fuelled speculation, but does not establish that a casting decision has been made.
The report follows O'Connor's own carefully measured response to the Bond rumours. Speaking to the BBC while attending the opening of an education and community centre at Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre, the actor described being linked to the part as an "incredibly bizarre pinch-me moment."
"To be considered in that same sort of bracket is extraordinary," he said, while declining to confirm whether he had auditioned.
O'Connor already brings an acclaimed screen career to the conversation. He won an Emmy for portraying Prince Charles in Netflix's The Crown and has appeared in films including Challengers, The Mastermind and The History of Sound. Taking on Bond would place him at the centre of one of cinema's most enduring franchises.
He is among several actors linked to the search, including Slow Horses star Jack Lowden and Masters of the Air actor Callum Turner. The next instalment will be directed by Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, with Steven Knight writing the screenplay and Amy Pascal and David Heyman producing.
Whoever wins the role will succeed Daniel Craig, whose five-film tenure began with Casino Royale in 2006 and ended with No Time to Die in 2021.
For now, O'Connor's reported appointment remains pub chatter awaiting an official announcement. Neither Amazon MGM Studios nor the Bond production team has confirmed the latest casting claim.
