O James Bond The franchise has spanned 25 movies, filled with incredible stunts, unique villains, adventures across the globe and hundreds of martinis, shaken, not stirred. The films also had great performances that anchored the action and made us care about Bond and the people around him. Here are the best performances from the James Bond franchise, ranked.
10 Ursula Andress as Honey Rider – Dr. No (1962)
Ursula Andress was the first Bond girl in Dr. No, and the one that defined the staple that came from then on. She was one of the best Bond Girls in the franchise for a reason; she was beautiful, yes, but also tough and resourceful, and not just there to be seduced by Bond. Andress had to be voiced over because of her thick Swiss accent, but you could still feel every moment the characters shared together and how her Honey Rider was so much more than a pretty body.
9 Desmond Llewelyn as Q – many movies
Desmond Llewelyn played Q in every Bond film until he stopped during the Brosnan era (17 films). He was replaced in the story during The world is not enough by his assistant R (John Cleese). As Q, he was the man who gave Bond all his gadgets, but he was also an amazing sparring partner, someone who seemed annoyed with Bond but who also enjoyed his presence and the conversations they had. He even left the lab for a mission in License to Kill!
8 Roger Moore as James Bond – many movies
Roger MooreBond’s opinion of Bond was much more in jest. He was more playful and knew he would always end up on top. It was a different interpretation than any before and made for a more mischievous agent with a license to kill. Moore had some great moments as 007, and he was the best one-liners Bond had in his time; with each one of them, he looked amused by what he had just said. He may have stayed in the role too long, and in his later films he was barely able to move, making it clear that he had stunt doubles, but he is still the Bond of a whole generation that preferred their funnier, more drama-free Bond.
7 Michelle Yeoh as Colonel Wai Lin – Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Michelle Yeohperformance of Tomorrow Never Dies it’s unique. Her Colonel Wai Lin is just as cool (or even cooler) as Bond, making her a damsel in distress, but a female Bond. Her character is far more actions than words, and that has never been more proven than in the scene where she and Bond are handcuffed together on a motorbike. The moment is great as an action, but also the beginning of a seduction between them, getting to know each other and how to work together for a better result. The fact that they can defeat a damn helicopter also helps.
6 Eva Green as Vesper Lynd – Casino Royale (2006)
Eva Verde only appeared in one movie, casino royale, but she created such a unique character that Bond (and the audience) fell in love with, and her death still resonated through the rest of the Craig era. Green’s Vesper is beautiful but also very smart, saves Bond’s life and shows a different side of 007; the one where he is more playful and sensitive. On why she made the film, Green told MI6: “She’s a more down-to-earth, less iconic person. She’s not just a pretty idiot. She’s also really, really smart, really sharp, and really funny. It evolves. she’s not like (Famke Janssen’s supersexual, aggressive character from goldeneye, Xenia) Onatopp. She opens up and blossoms and is more vulnerable.”
5 Telly Savalas as Ernst Stavro Blofeld – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Telly Savalas was as good and emblematic as Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service that his version of the character was parodied in Austin Powers franchise, and returned in the last era of cinema (played by Christoph Waltz). He might have returned if Lazenby had kept the role, as he was the man who killed his wife Tracy, making him Bond’s archenemy. Savalas knew how to project evil and madness and be egomaniac while also being kind of scary, making him one of the worst villains Bond has faced.
4 Judi Dench as M – Many Films
When Pierce Brosnan started his career as Bond, a few other things were modernized, for example the fact that M was going to be a woman. who decided to launch judi dench like M deserves all the money in the world as it was such a hit that the actress was the only thing held back between the Brosnan and Craig era. Dench always brought intensity and realism to the role, which made her indispensable. The character may have known her duty, but the best part is how she always had a soft spot and blind trust in 007. On working with Dench, Javier Bardem told The Guardian: “When she opens her mouth and looks you in the eyes , you’re like, ‘Wow! That’s a big deal.’ You feel a force of nature against her chest.”
3 Daniel Craig as James Bond – Many Films
Daniel Craig‘s Bond is a little different, and much more modern than the previous ones. He’s much tougher and more robust, as he may be the first Bond who could have been a boxer, but he’s also the most romantic of them all. Yes, he still has sex with women, but he falls in love in two of his five films, and in the last one, he gives new meaning to the term Bond girls, as in this case (SPOILER) the term refers to his girlfriend and daughter. A lot of people hated Craig’s casting, and through great performances, amazing stunts, and quiet charisma, he proved all doubters wrong.
two Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva – Skyfall (2012)
In Sky fall, Javier Bardem played the villain, and he gives a roaring performance from the start. There aren’t much better character introductions than his long walk over to Bond as he monologues about the history of mice and coconuts, and from there, his performance goes even higher. To play a Bond villain, you have to be in on the fun, and Bardem is absolutely in on it. Seu Silva has some issues with M, as he sees her as a mother, but is also amused by seeing how all of MI6 keeps falling into her many traps. Bardem is having a great time and delights in every sentence he reads, giving as much ketchup and mustard as possible.
1 Sean Connery as James Bond – Many Films
Sean Connery was the first Bond, and without his charisma and coldness, perhaps there would be no franchise, as he immortalized the character. The actor had many incredible moments as Bond and was the model for everything that came after. He loved training with Moneypenny, seducing women, surviving all kinds of stunts that should have killed him, using the gadgets Q had given him, enjoying the awesome cars, and having as much fun as possible while doing the mission. He was smooth, resourceful, tough, knew how to order a martini, and looked good in a suit. All other Bonds are measured against Connery’s, and for good reason, as he was the first Bond and the best performing Bond in the franchise’s entire history.