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Onetime James Bond Casting Director On One “Absolutely Essential” Trait

Published

1 month ago

June 30, 2026

Deadline reported exclusively earlier this month that James Bond producers and director Denis Villeneuve have begun informing talent who have made the next round of auditions, which will occur later this summer. There is no confirmed list, but that hasn’t stopped fans and the media from throwing out names like Callum Turner, Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi. But one person who knows something about casting 007 says none of them fit the bill.

Debbie McWilliams cast the last three Bonds and all the films they were in, from For Your Eyes Only to No Time to Die. That’s 40 years in His Majesty’s Secret Service before she retired. McWilliams wants to see “somebody who is completely out of the blue.” She adds that it is “absolutely essential” Bond remains “a total enigma.”

She explained her stance to The Independent: “We want to know as little about them personally as possible, because that’s what spies are. We don’t need to know where he goes shopping or who his parents are, or where he lives. We never want to see him at home. And a vital element of the whole thing is his job description. He’s licensed to kill, and we have to believe that he can do that. If you don’t, then you’ve lost the audience.”

The woman currently busy casting the next Bond seems to agree.

Baz Bamigboye reported exclusively for Deadline in May that his conversation with casting director Nina Gold was not about film or TV personalities, but centered more on actors who’d trod the boards in London’s West End.

Bamigboye pointed out that what caught then Bond grande dame Barbara Broccoli’s eye was the combination of Daniel Craig’s work in Matthew Vaughn’s 2004 film Layer Cake, what she’d seen of him on stage in David Rabe’s Hurlyburly at the Old Vic and his performance opposite Michael Gambon in Caryl Churchill’s A Number at the Royal Court Theatre.

He noted Gold nodding when he rattled off a list of potential contenders: David Shields, who was so good in James Graham’s award winning play Punch which ran in the Nottingham Playhouse, the Young Vic and on Shaftesbury Avenue at the Apollo; Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson who’s very much a theater animal having acquitted himself well opposite James Norton and Omari Douglas in Ivo van Hove’s production of A Little Life. He will next appear with Keira Knightley and Stephen Dillane in the stage adaptation of The Lives of Others in the fall. That’s right about the time the big decision may be made by Bond’s new gatekeepers, producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman — along with Villeneuve and Amazon MGM brass.

Baz Bamigboye contributed to this report.

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‘Blue Bloods’ Alum Will Estes Reprising Role On ‘Boston Blue’

Published

1 hour ago

August 8, 2026

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One of the original Blue Bloods is making a trip to Beantown after Donnie Wahlberg teased an upcoming guest star on Boston Blue.

Deadline can confirm that Will Estes will reprise his Blue Bloods role as Jamie Reagan on an upcoming episode of the CBS spin-off after Wahlberg shared a behind-the-scenes photo with his onscreen brother.

“Welcome (back) to the family! Jamie Reagan! AKA Will Estes!” wrote Wahlberg on his Instagram Story with the photo, which also featured co-stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Marcus Scribner and Mika Amonsen.

Following Blue Bloods‘ 2024 finale, Wahlberg reprised his role as Det. Danny Reagan in the spin-off Boston Blue, which premiered last October, with the role of Danny’s Sean recast with Amonsen after Andrew Terraciano played him in the parent series.

Other Blue Bloods stars have previously reprised their roles on the spin-off, including Bridget Moynahan as Danny’s sister Erin, Len Cariou as Danny’s grandfather Henry Reagan and Will Hochman as Danny’s nephew Joe Hill.

Boston Blue received an early renewal for Season 2 in December, set to return on Oct. 9, as the show continues to follow Wahlberg’s Danny after he left the NYPD for the Boston Police Department.

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Dwayne Johnson Addresses ‘Moana’ Mixed Reviews After Box Office Flop

Published

2 hours ago

August 8, 2026

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Dwayne Johnson is speaking out on Disney‘s live-action Moana not exactly being a hit with critics.

Johnson, who voiced Maui in the original 2016 animated film Moana and its 2024 follow-up, recently spoke to People magazine about how the movie’s early reviews started positively before the reception shifted.

“Our first two reviews came out. I’ll never forget it… They were amazing. I was like, wow,” the actor recalled, before adding that then “it went another way — as sometimes happens. That’s just the way it goes because we’re in this business.”

The Hollywood Reporter’s chief film critic, David Rooney, did, however, give the film a favorable review, calling it “one of Disney’s better live-action remakes.” He added, “The new Moana is a captivating family entertainment that deserves to find an audience.”

The live-action Moana, released in theaters last month, earned a 31 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, while its audience score was significantly higher at 88 percent.

The Smashing Machine star added that he and his wife, Lauren Hashian, had many conversations about the response. “The challenge was, OK, let’s remember, though, what’s going to be beyond this opening weekend. Let’s remember what’s happening right now and the noise that’s happening right now,” he said.

“If you love it, great. If you don’t, no problem,” the Jumanji actor said. But what meant the most to him was that “the culture really stood up,” as Johnson is of Samoan heritage.

“Because of me and our kids who can now look at the big screen and go, ‘That’s us for the first time on a big screen. That’s us up there. How cool is that?’,” he said.

Catherine Laga’aia starred in the title role, taking over from Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced the character in the animated films. Johnson reprised his role as Maui in the live-action adaptation.

The film, though, didn’t make waves at the box office, grossing $264 million worldwide against a reported $250 million production budget.

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‘Supermax’ Movie: Jason Clarke Latest To Join Cast (EXCLUSIVE)

Published

3 hours ago

August 8, 2026

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EXCLUSIVE: Jason Clarke has closed a deal to join Supermax, the new action-thriller from Amazon MGM Studios and Miramax, Deadline has learned.

Character details are under wraps. The Australian actor is the second of the week to join following Jaafar Jackson, the breakout star of Lionsgate’s Michael.

The pair will share the screen with Will Smith and AnnaSophia Robb, who play two FBI agents investigating a seemingly impossible murder within the impenetrable walls of a maximum-security prison.

David Gordon Green is directing from a script by David Weil and David J. Rosen, with The Picture Company’s Andrew Rona & Alex Heineman producing alongside Smith and Adam Fishbach for Westbrook Studios.

Weil and Rosen are exec producing alongside Miramax CEO Jonathan Glickman, President of Film Alexandra Loewy, COO Thom Zadra and SVP Spencer Ela, as well as James Lassiter and Miguel Melendez for Westbrook Studios, with Natalie Laine Williams serving as associate producer.

Recently seen leading the series The Last Frontier and Murdaugh: Death in the Family for Apple and Hulu, respectively, Clarke is currently in talks for a role in Michael Mann’s Heat 2. We were first to report on him being eyed for the anticipated Amazon MGM/UA sequel back in May.

Most recently on set of A Quiet Place 3 for Paramount/Skydance and director John Krasinski, Clarke will also be seen coming up in the Amazon MGM thriller Ally Clark with Viola Davis, as well as Tom McCarthy’s The Statement for Sony Pictures Classics, and Warner Bros.’ Taylor Sheridan-penned F.A.S.T.

CAA Media Finance brokered the deal between Miramax and Amazon MGM, which will release Supermax on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Clarke is repped by Robert Stein Management, CAA, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.