Top 10 Performances by James Bond Actors (in non-Bond roles)

Since making my way through the James Bond catalogue, I’ve been thinking about the six actors who have played 007. Some of them peaked with Bond, while others went on to have illustrious careers. Below are my favorite non-Bond performances by actors who have played Bond. Note: I only considered performances that were played during or after the respective actors’ tenure as Bond.

Honorable Mention

Roger Moore – Alias, Prophecy (2002)

Roger Moore doesn’t have much to do in the sixteenth episode of season one of Alias, but he crushes his moments on screen. You can tell how much he’s enjoying himself, making tea in a fancy gazebo, gently bringing his hands together in secret meetings in dark office rooms. Dude loves being back in the spy game, if ever so briefly.

10. Timothy Dalton – Hot Fuzz (2007)

“Stay back! Or the ginger nut gets it!”

Dalton has a blast in this flick. As a prime suspect of some horrible crimes, Dalton hams it up by mugging around and throwing shade to the men hunting him. What a great bit of casting.

9. Pierce Brosnan – The Ghost Writer (2010)

Entitled, elitist, invincible, deceptive – as former Prime Minister Adam Lang, Brosnan was at his snobby British best in Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer. Shame that all of his F bombs were horribly dubbed over, though.

8. Sean Connery – The Rock (1996)

Part Fuck you, Bond, part, Yeah, I still got it, Connery’s Mason is an ass kickin’, wise crackin’ ex spy that we love to root for. I seriously love this performance, and damn if the man still doesn’t look good in a suit.

7. Timothy Dalton – The Rocketeer (1991)

Dalton played the baddest Bond of them all, so it’s no surprise that I love seeing him as an out-and-out villain in other movies. The Rocketeer was a staple of my childhood; there was no end to my amusement in watching Dalton’s performance as the Errol Flynn-meets-secret Nazi agent hybrid, Neville Sinclair.

6. Sean Connery – The Untouchables (1987)

“They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. THAT’s the Chicago way.”

‘Nuff said.

5. Daniel Craig – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

It’s his reliance in the newsroom, his vulnerability when confronted with violence (and sex), his thinking man’s intelligence, and, of course, his incredible chemistry with Rooney Mara (and Robin Wright, for that matter). A measured and dependable performance.  

4. Sean Connery – The Hill (1965)

Sidney Lumet’s The Hill is a great film by a great director, but one that has never managed to attract a wide audience. Damn shame, as it contains a handful of fantastic performances, namely from Connery, who plays a former British officer serving time in a military detention camp. Connery’s quiet and commanding work in the film is enough to recommend The Hill. But trust me, there are many reasons to seek this one out.

3. Pierce Brosnan – The Matador (2005)

Pierce Brosnan, strutting through a fancy hotel lobby, wearing nothing but boots and a black speedo. Can of Modelo in one hand, lit cigarette in the other. He charges through the lobby, attracting attention from baffled guests. Makes his way to the pool, pencil dives in. It’s a hilarious and iconic moment in a criminally ignored film. Something you don’t unsee.

2. Sean Connery – Marnie (1964)

I still can’t believe Marnie, and Connery’s shocking performance in it, were able to see the light of day in 1964. Many people haven’t seen this B-side Hitchcock thriller, so I’ll keep plot details sparse, but this is a dangerous film, especially considering when it was released. Connery and Tippi Hedren (who, in my opinion, is better here than in The Birds) ignite the screen with their risqué chemistry. Seriously, watching this film, I’m stunned that the Bond producers permitted Connery to take this role on.

1. Pierce Brosnan – The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

Pierce Brosnan’s work as Thomas Crown could very well be my favorite non-James Bond James Bond performance ever. Wealthy, tailored, handsome, sleek – Thomas Crown is James Bond, but instead of a Walther PPK, Crown uses a pen (for signing billion dollar deals) and quick hands (for lifting priceless works of art) as his weapons. Hell, I’d argue that Thomas Crown is the best work of Brosnan’s entire career. Do you wanna dance, or do you wanna dance?

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