First it was Sean Connery. Then it was Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. And now, Justin Hartley is opening up about the possibility of playing James Bond, and no, this is not a drill.
The This Is Us star, 42, appeared on yesterday’s episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he addressed rumors about replacing Craig following the highly anticipated Bond 25.
At the 2:45 mark, the daytime host, 61, asks about Hartley’s potential involvement in the James Bond franchise.
“Is this true—I heard that your name is on a list after Daniel Craig being James Bond—when he’s done, you are one of the names that they’re talking about being James Bond,” she says.
Although Hartley tries to act surprised, responding “Cool.” That doesn’t stop DeGeneres from handing him a dirty martini and prompting him to read the franchise’s iconic line: “The name’s Bond. James Bond.”
While Craig is already confirmed for Bond 25, many believe it will be the actor’s last time portraying the iconic character. Hartley is one of several celebs who are being considered as a replacement, including Richard Madden, James Norton, Tom Hardy, Tom Hiddleston, Riz Ahmed, Henry Cavill, Aidan Turner, Nicholas Hoult, Damian Lewis and Idris Elba.
If you need us, we’ll be crossing our fingers for a Bond reference in the third season of This Is Us. (After all, Kevin is an actor.)
