Some Things Aren’t Meant To Happen: Sam Neill As James Bond

Sam Neill has done alright in life, being a respected actor and winemaker. But imagine if he had become James Bond? Neill like many, many others auditioned for 1987’s The Living Daylights, losing out initially to Pierce Brosnan, but when that casting went south the role ultimatley went to Timothy Dalton.

Neill and Brosnan’s careers have intertwined a few times. Both were born in Ireland and they would share the screen in A Long Way Down and Brosnan would replace Neill in AMC’s western series The Son.

Check out Neill’s screen test – would he have cut the mustard as Bond, James Bond?