Sir Sean Connery was one of the biggest names in Hollywood at the height of his career.
For many, Daniel Craig epitomises James Bond as the seventh actor to play the MI5 role. But for older fans, the Scottish hunk is the main leading man who springs to mind.
The film star was the first actor to take on the role of 007 and starred in seven of the films between 1962 to 1983. But it wasn’t always plain sailing for the national treasure.
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As fans celebrate what would have been the actor’s 94th birthday, Daily Star has taken a deep dive inside Connery’s rocky relationship with his iconic spy role.
(Image: Sygma via Getty Images)
It’s fair to say the actor didn’t exactly look back fondly on being Bond. The Scot famously once raged: “I have always hated that damned James Bond. I’d like to kill him.”
From fights with his bosses to alleged battles over pay and deep-rooted privacy fears, Sean’s relationship with the spy franchise was a love-hate one. When the success of Dr No launched the actor to international stardom, the dad-of-one was not happy about the sudden interest in his life.
It was reported at the time that the actor felt he wasn’t being paid enough and demanded more money, only to be quickly rejected. The financial row continued into the making of You Only Live Twice – his fifth film in five years – when the actor was photographed in the toilet.
(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
Outraged at the breach of privacy, he is said to have asked producer Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli to bump up his pay for compensation. But the producer refused which prompted Sean to quit the film.
His reported demands for £745,000 for a sixth Bond film was denied, meaning Sean was replaced by George Lazenby in 1969’s Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Unfortunately, the film was a huge flop in the box office.
Desperate to lure their original star back for Diamonds are Forever, executives were given a blank cheque. Connery successfully secured a salary equivalent to £29million plus 12.5% of the gross profits.
(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
But what surprised fans the most was that Sean donated the entire amount to charity. He then reportedly refused to be on the set at the same times as Broccoli.
Sean told The Guardian: “I’d been [messed] about too much on other Bond pictures. There’s so much bulls**t that comes from bad decisions being made at the top.”
His feud with the director only got worse over the years. The actor went on to sue Broccoli and MGM-UA Entertainment for £172million in 1980.
He claimed he was still owed earnings based on the profits made from the spy movie franchise. The eventual settlement was never released to the public.
(Image: Sygma via Getty Images)
There was no love lost between Sir Sean and Ian Fleming, who wrote the original James Bond Books, either. The award-winning actor explained: “I never got introduced to Fleming until I was well into the movie but I know he was not happy with me as the choice.
“What was it he called me, or told somebody? That I was an over-developed stunt man. He never said it to me. When I did eventually meet him he was very interesting, erudite and a snob – a real snob.”
Despite his historic feuds, the films’ producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli shared a heartfelt statement when the actor died in October 2020. The duo praised Connery for revolutionising the world with his “gritty and witty” portrayal of the secret service agent.
(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
The pair acknowledged the franchise may never have taken off if it wasn’t for his star quality and impressive work. Wilson and Broccoli shared: “We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sir Sean Connery.
“He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words – ‘the name’s Bond… James Bond’ – he revolutionised the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent.
“He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.” Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
