James Bond frontrunner Jack Lowden has finally broken his silence on rumours that he is about to become the world’s most famous secret agent – although fans hoping for a definitive answer may be disappointed.
The Scottish actor, 36, has emerged as the bookies’ favourite to replace Daniel Craig as 007, with speculation reaching fever pitch after his Slow Horses co-star Gary Oldman appeared to suggest the coveted role had already been cast.
And while the identity of the next Bond remains one of Hollywood’s most closely guarded secrets, Lowden has now offered his own contribution to the increasingly elaborate guessing game.
Unfortunately, it seems he has already mastered one of the most important skills required of an international spy: revealing absolutely nothing.
Speaking to British GQ, the actor was asked about the frenzy surrounding Oldman’s apparent endorsement, prompting a reaction that suggested he might rather be interrogated by MI6 itself.
‘Oh, Christ…’ he responded, his expression reportedly giving way to a carefully unreadable smile.
‘On this… It’s all very flattering. It’s nice to be mentioned – for any role – and I’m just not really going to add to the noise,’ he said.
Lowden continued: ‘It’s very nice, and Gary’s a sweetheart – it’s particularly lovely, coming from someone like him. But I don’t really listen to it.’
He also offered a less glamorous explanation for why he might have found himself in contention for the role.
‘As a young male actor, generally, the minute you’re not playing a zany artist type, the minute you’re in a suit, people fling it at you.’
Still, Lowden has rather more going for him than an ability to wear a bow tie.
His performance as River Cartwright in Apple TV+’s acclaimed spy thriller Slow Horses has earned him an Emmy nomination, while his film credits include Dunkirk, Mary Queen of Scots, and Benediction.
He also has the enthusiastic backing of one of Britain’s most respected actors, although Oldman’s recent comments may have caused his younger co-star something of a headache.
The Oscar winner sparked a fresh wave of speculation when he appeared to suggest that Bond producers had already made their decision.
‘We’re going to find out pretty soon, aren’t we? Because they have picked him,’ Oldman told Canada’s Global.
‘They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack.’
Even Lowden’s wife, Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan, has found herself fielding questions about her husband’s potential new career as Britain’s deadliest government employee.
Asked about the speculation, she joked that Oldman ‘thinks he’s James Bond, which is its own thing’.
She insisted the couple had rather more mundane concerns occupying their time.
‘We’re kind of getting on with our life, to be honest. We have plenty of other things to be dealing with,’ she told Associated Press.
‘The dog needs to be walked, the dinner needs to be made — we’re most focused on that.’
According to Ladbrokes’ latest odds, Lowden is now the clear frontrunner at 4/6, followed by Callum Turner at 11/4.
Challengers actor Josh O’Connor is further behind at 8/1, while Robert Pattinson has made a surprise appearance in the top 5 and is priced at 12/1, with the rest of the field available at 20/1 or longer.
The race has reportedly entered its final stages, with Lowden, Turner and O’Connor among the actors linked to a final round of screen tests at London’s Bray Studios.
A fourth contender has reportedly also been involved, although their identity remains a mystery.
The next film will be directed by Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, with Amazon MGM Studios overseeing the franchise following Craig’s departure in 2021’s No Time To Die.
Responding to reports about the casting process, the studio previously told The Hollywood Reporter: ‘The search for the next James Bond is underway. While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.’
Until then, Lowden’s carefully measured response leaves fans exactly where they started: with plenty of clues but no definitive answers.
Read Jack Lowden’s interview with GQ here.