The world of Ian Fleming’s James Bond is big. With six decades and counting, the suave secret agent has played host to many actors who’ve taken on the spy suit and said the unmistakable introductory line. One of the most popular stars behind 007, Pierce Brosnan, recalled when it was his first time delivering the infamous six-word sentence in one of the best '90s action movies.
As one of the most signature elements of Bond’s aura, the cool hello made its debut at the jump with Dr. No in 1962. With each new star, they make the greeting all their own, so let's set the stage a little for the Irish actor. Before James Bond 26 buzz and major JB franchise changes a la Amazon buying MGM (Bond’s longtime home company), 30 years ago it to Brosnan’s first entry GoldenEye. It’s 1995, and the star already recognized what a pivotal moment in the 007 franchise it was, but like anyone playing the eponymous character, he kept his cool.
Pierce Brosnan Remembers Saying The Iconic Line For The First Time
Via journalist Jake Hamilton's Instagram, the 2025 TV guide MobLand actor recounted the moment where it was time to say, ‘Bond, James Bond.’ The A-lister vet jumped into the exact scene and day on set that it went down.
I do. I remember it very well because it was uh we'd been shooting all morning, and then it came around for me to do my closeup, and, uh I had to say the name of my character. All the extras were standing behind the camera, and I thought, ‘Well, do I clear my eye line or not,’ and uh, I didn't. I just stood before Famke Johnson and said the name.
What a small but monumental moment for cinematic history. Like many, Brosnan was my initial Bond, and he indoctrinated a whole new generation of fans into the franchise. Not only that, but he helped jump the six-year gap between Timothy Dalton’s last (License to Kill) and continued to live up to previous performances for existing fans. It’s all too good that the Mamma Mia! alum seems to be so Bond-like in his recounting.
The host then asked whether or not he had practiced the line ahead of time before his A+ delivery. Brosnan had a little more realistic answer for that:
No, no, you kind of find yourself rehearsing it in the mirror, you find yourself sitting, you know, having your breakfast and saying the name.
Not as 007, but practice does guarantee a better effort for the final product, and that it did. I just can’t believe that GoldenEye was a full thirty years ago. On top of that, the franchise itself is over double that age and still as popular as ever.
The Brief Overview Of All James Bond Actors And The Illustrious Franchise
There’s no question that everyone has their favorite James Bond movies or even favorite 007, but as it stands, the longstanding legacy is no joke. There have been seven official iterations of the secret agent, twenty-seven movies, and a nice showing of awards–all of which are available with a Hulu subscription. Below is a minimal recap of actors and which movies they starred in starting from the beginning:
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- Barry Nelson, 1954 (1): (for TV but noted as first person portraying Bond) Climax!’s Casino Royale episode.
- Sean Connery, 1962 – 1967, 1971, *1983 (unofficial, outside of EON) (7): Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Never Say Never Again*
- David Niven, 1967 (2nd non EON) (1): Casino Royale
- George Lazenby, 1969 (1): On Her Majesty's Secret Service
- Roger Moore, 1973-1985 (7): Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to Kill
- Timothy Dalton, 1987-1989 (2): The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill
- Pierce Brosnan, 1995-2002 (4): GoldEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day
- Daniel Craig, 2006-2021 (5): Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, No Time to Die
While the past list (for the most part) has been in the same, long-standing hands, like the Broccoli family and EON productions, the future of the franchise is now being questioned with Amazon MGM.
What’s Lies Ahead For The Next Bond, James Bond Movie?
The future of Bond has been followed and covered closely since Amazon purchased MGM in the early 2020s. Naturally, watching many notable chances and exits, including Baraba Broccoli’s, makes some fans like me uneasy. Though, with , things could be looking up, especially with the streamer giant weighing in with apparent 007 plans and having decided to fast-track 26, with a projected 2027 release. As of last week, it seems like JB26 is reportedly on the move into production with plenty of speculation as to what's to come.
As of this posting, there are no confirmed performers poised to snag the keys to the Aston Martin just yet. There are plenty of rumors floating around that could pull rank with Craig, Connery or Brosnan.
Whoever it may be, hopefully, they will be able to deliver that classic Bond line (and remember it) as well as the GoldenEye star did.
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Maggie Sheck
Contributing Writer
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