The role of James Bond is one of the most coveted roles in cinema and two of the most popular franchise actor are still hoping to land the gig.

Actor Henry Cavill is arguably one of the most popular picks to play the iconic British spy James Bond after Daniel Craig retired from the role. While Cavill’s Superman fame is a large factor in his being viewed as a candidate for the role, one Star Wars actor found himself in a similar situation years ago. Following his Star Wars fame, actor Ewan McGregor was in contention to play James Bond.

James Bond remains one of the most iconic characters in cinema (Credit: Columbia Pictures)
During an interview, McGregor expressed his affection for the character and excitement over taking up the role. However, McGregor’s chance as Agent 007 never materialized. Nonetheless, like Cavill, the Obi-Wan Kenobi actor has continued to hold out hope for a chance to play the iconic character. Here is what McGregor had to say about his chances of playing James Bond.

Ewan McGregor Was Desperate to Play James Bond After Star Wars Fame

Actor Ewan McGregor rose to international fame after his performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels. However, by the time the prequel trilogy was winding down, there were rumors of McGregor being considered for the role of James Bond, one of the most iconic characters in cinema.
Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor wanted to play James Bond (Credit: Lucasfilm).
During an interview, McGregor was asked about the possibility of playing Bond and seemed excited at the prospect. He said (via Star Wars Magazine Issue #74) in 2004:

 I think it would be the same with Bond. It would take a bigger man to turn it down. 

At the same time, McGregor asserted that there were no immediate conversations about the role and seemingly confirmed that he hadn’t been offered the role of Agent 007.

McGregor compared the role of Bond with his role in Star Wars, explaining that he initially had his doubts about joining the franchise. However, the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to do it. The Kenobi actor reiterated the possibility of playing Bond in 2015, stating that he was no longer concerned with becoming typecast.

Henry Cavill Was Once Excited at the Prospect of Playing James Bond

Back in the early 2000s, actor Henry Cavill was also considered for the role of Bond along with McGregor. However, he reportedly lost out on the part to Daniel Craig for being too young. Craig has since retired from the role. Meanwhile, Cavill has seen his fame grow exponentially thanks to his turn as Superman in the DCEU.
Henry Cavill is still interested in the James Bond role despite losing out once (Credit: Argylle, Apple Original Films).
During an interview with GQ in 2020, Cavill seemed optimistic about playing the role of Bond. He said:

I would absolutely jump at the opportunity. At this stage, it’s all up in the air. We’ll see what happens. But yes, I would love to play Bond, it would be very, very exciting.

However, Cavill also noted that there would have to first be interest from the producers to have him aboard the Bond franchise for his turn as the iconic spy to materialize.

In 2024, a fan-made trailer for a Bond movie starring Cavill in the titular role went viral online. As a result, Cavill was once again asked about the possibility of playing Bond on The Rich Eisen Show. While Cavill was still interested in the role, he noted that he was likely too old for the role and admitted that he had not been approached by the producers just yet.