Profile: Pierce Brosnan

Suave, debonair, charismatic and a damn fine actor. Pierce Brosnan has the perfect combination of what makes a great movie star.

Brosnan was born to be James Bond. The Irish actor was in the frame for the role in the 1980s, but it wasn’t meant to be. He finally won the part in 1995, starring in Goldeneye, the first in his four movie stint as the iconic spy.

Starting his career in the hit television show Remington Steele (check it out if you’ve never see it), Brosnan spent the best part of the ’80s and early ’90s alternating between taking the lead in television movies and low budget features and supporting roles on the big screen. This time saw him give great (and mainly unseen) performances in films like Nomads, Mister Johnson, The Deceivers, Taffin, Live Wire and Love Story. James Bond finally hit and it all changed.

Brosnan had great lead roles in (Movies In Focus favourites) Dante’s Peak and Mars Attacks, but his signature non-Bond role was in 1999’s The Thomas Crown Affair. John McTiernan’s film played to all Brosnan’s strengths and it’s a shame that the long in development sequel (The Topkapi Affair) never made it to the screen.

He has made a multitude films, but I don’t think he’s won the respect that he deserves. Just watch The Greatest, Butterfly on a Wheel, Married Life, Laws of Attraction, The Matador, Mama Mia and Seraphim Falls to see a nuanced actor who can nail any genre.

The future looks bright for Brosnan. He has roles in the Nick Hornby adaptation A Long Way Down, The November Man and The Coup opposite Owen Wilson.