After the Sam Mendes-directed Skyfall premiered to critical raves and staggering box-office figures last year, MGM scrambled to secure that film’s MVPs for the next James Bond adventure, eventually convincing Mendes and screenwriter John Logan to return for Bond 24. Star Daniel Craig is locked in for the next two films, while Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Ralph Fiennes are all suspected to return as Moneypenny, Q and M, respectively. And though the coveted position of ‘Bond girl’ currently remains open for the upcoming film, Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan and two-time Sports Illustrated cover model Kate Upton have both become frontrunners for the role, according to British tabloid The Sun.
Flanagan, a 23-year old British actress, recently “turned heads” at MGM when she met with casting directors in Los Angeles, according to The Sun’s source. “They felt she had a unique look, great figure and natural charm on screen,” the source added.
However, Flanagan is in no way a lock for the role. Rumors suggest that Sports Illustrated model and Cat Daddy enthusiast Kate Upton is also in contention for the part, and she is certainly a more familiar face in Hollywood.
While Flanagan’s twelve-year stint as Rosie Webster on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street has made her a celebrity in her native England, few people in the United States are familiar with the show. Conversely, Upton’s modeling success made her ubiquitous stateside in 2012, and she’s already secured a role in Cameron Diaz’s 2014 comedy The Other Woman.
Neither of them are renowned for their acting abilities, but I’d still give the edge in this race to Flanagan just on a hunch that MGM will veer away from stunt casting. At this point, however, it’s also possible that neither of them are in contention at all, as anything coming from The Sun should be taken with a massive pinch of salt.
What do you think of the possibility that one of these two actresses could land the role? Would either of them be a capable foil for Daniel Craig’s 007? Sound off in the comments section!
Bond 24 will land in theaters on November 6th, 2015.