As 'No Time to Die' releases, here's a look at all 7 actors who played iconic James Bond

Not many would have imagined that British novelist Ian Fleming's fictional character James Bond in 1952 would go on to attain cult status over the course of the next seven decades. While the novels on the 007 spy entertained readers, the films have gripped audiences immensely. So much so that 25 films have been made on the character, and the latest one No Time To Die is gearing up for its release.

Not just the films, even the actors who played the famous spy have added to the character's shine and established their careers through their portrayals. As Daniel Craig gears up for his fifth and final outing as James Bond, here's looking at the actors who have essayed the role of Bond on screen. 

Actors who played James Bond on screen

Sean Connery

Sean Connery was the first actor to play the suave spy in 1962 with the movie Dr. No. He then went on to star in three more movies in the next three years — From Russia with Love,  Goldfinger and Thunderball. In 1967, he featured in You Only Live Twice. Four years and two other Bonds later, he returned to the franchise with the 1971 movie Diamonds are Forever. Connery then made his last venture as Bond in the 1983 movie Never Say Never Again.

David Niven 

Bond's portrayal in films had been associated with Eon Productions since the beginning, something that changed with the 1967 movie Casino Royale. It was David Niven who was chosen for the role after Sean Connery and Peter Sellers turned down the character.

George Lazenby 

George Lazenby, a lesser-known Australian actor, known for a chocolate cream advertisement, became the third actor to play the character in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969. He starred in just a single film as he received intense criticism, some even going on to call him the 'worst Bond.'

Roger Moore 

After Sean Connery, it was Roger Moore who made the James Bond character his own and starred in seven films in all. Live and Let Die (1973), The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only, Unknown (1981), Octopussy (1983), A View to a Kill (1985).

Timothy Dalton 

Timothy Dalton was the next to be considered for the role after Moore's retirement from the franchise. He featured in two films The Living Daylights (1984) and Licence to Kill (1989). Among the highlights of his performance was that he was known as a 'darker' Bond with lesser wit and 'less of a womanizer'.

Pierce Brosnan 

Pierce Brosnan had auditioned for the James Bond role when Roger Moore had retired but had lost out at that time due to his Remington Steele contract. The actor then took on from Timothy Dalton to become one of the best-known Bonds especially for the living generation for four films.

Brosnan kept the humour alive and his portrayal was termed as closer to Ian Fleming's vision. In a break from tradition, he also refused to showcase his character smoking, asserting that it caused cancer. His journey as James Bond started with GoldenEye in 1995, followed by Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, The World in Not Enough in 1999  and Die Another Day in 2002. He had expressed his desire to star in another Bond, but a breakthrough could not be reached in the negotiations, after which he decided to move on.

Daniel Craig 

Daniel Craig was the next choice for James Bond. His appointment had sparked intense criticism from many netizens and critics over him not fitting the traditional definition of a Bond, known to be tall and suave. However, he silenced them to some extent as his journey started with the return of Casino Royale after four decades in 2006, followed by Quantum of Solace in 2008, Skyfall    
in 2012 and Spectre in 2015.

With his fifth film as Bond in No Time to Die, he will be behind only Connery and Moore who starred in 7 Bond films in all. The hunt for a new James Bond is on.

(Image: AP)