The actress who plays Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, Eva Green, made her mark with her first audition for the James Bond franchise… but not in the way we think!
Eve Greenwhich gave birth to Vesper Lynd in Casino Royalefailed in his first screen test as the character responsible for melting 007’s heart. Based on Ian Fleming’s classic novel of the same name, Casino Royale of 2006 was the inaugural release of Daniel Craig as the British MI6 agent James Bond. Showered with positive reviews since its premiere, the film boldly reinvented the long-running franchise with a much more grounded approach that would go on to shape each of Craig’s subsequent outings.
What went wrong with Eva Green’s first audition for Casino Royale?
EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Columbia Pictures
According to Debbie McWilliams, casting director of the Bond films, the decision to cast Eva Green as the protagonist’s new love interest was not without difficulties. During a recent interview, McWilliams reveals that not only was there resistance to his initial selection, but he also failed his first audition. Thankfully, however, both McWilliams and producer Barbara Broccoli insisted she return for a second test, which ultimately landed her the role:
Eva Green was always on the list, but there was some resistance to her – I don’t really know why, but I think they thought maybe she didn’t have enough experience. She had only done a few films and all of them were very underground, low budget stuff, but working with someone like Barbara Broccoli, who has such great instincts, she both really liked them.
I’m sure she would have been the first to admit that she’s awful. No one had done her hair and makeup and everything else about her, so she didn’t do her any justice, and rather terrifyingly we started shooting Casino Royale without that part of her being cast. StBoth Barbara and I insisted that Eva give it another try – this time she was made up and coiffed and feeling much calmer about the whole thing. This is what sealed everything.
Without the foundations laid by Eva Green, subsequent characters in the franchise such as Lashana Lynch’s Nomi, Ana de Armas’ Paloma and Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann would never have been born.