Believe it or not, today is James Bond Day. No, I’m not saying that because of No Time To Die being released into theaters overseas; it’s literally the day in 1962 when Dr. No first premiered in the UK. So every year, the day is honored with some sort of special nod to the occasion, and today is no exception. This year, Ana de Armas is probably celebrating a little harder than most, as she almost didn’t get to play what is arguably one of the best parts in No Time To Die.
Through a video shared to the official 007 Twitter feed, we learned this very fact through de Armas’ own recollection. Showcasing the weapons training she underwent during her crash course in No Time To Die action, the video informs us that the CIA agent who’s helping shake things up in the James Bond world was a last-minute addition. As the story goes, director Cary Joji Fukunaga became a fan of Ana de Armas, simply through a series of conversations. Which, in turn, led to this twist of fate:
This character, I think it didn't exist in the film. It was just [through] talking to Cary that he really wanted me in the movie. And they just made it happen. So I was in the conversation a long time before it became real.
It certainly helps that Ana de Armas was already acquainted with starring opposite Daniel Craig on the big screen. As the No Time To Die co-stars had previously paired in Rian Johnson’s smash hit ensemble whodunnit Knives Out, finding a way for de Armas to fit into the 25th James Bond film was probably the hardest part. But as you’ll see when Paloma gets her big moment in the movie, Ana de Armas’ character is a perfect fit.
The last-minute nature of Paloma’s addition to No Time To Die certainly explains how Ana de Armas didn’t get as much time as she’d wanted to prep for the film’s awesome stunts. It doesn’t show in the behind-the-scenes video, shot by legendary James Bond photographer Greg Williams, which details just how quickly the Cuban star took to her weapons training. Take a look at the entire video, target practice and all, below:
This #JamesBondDay go behind the scenes of #NoTimeToDie with Ana de Armas and Greg Williams. Visit https://t.co/1JH3zpzGuv to read about Greg Williams’ 20 year Bond career.https://t.co/jdcePUyOPT pic.twitter.com/JArz5VuO6uOctober 5, 2021
If fate had broken differently, we would have lost out on two different Ana de Armas roles that have made a huge impact on pop culture. Just as she overcame the urge to bail on Knives Out, Ms. de Armas saw that through the character of Paloma in No Time To Die, she totally had what it took to become a Bond woman. The results more than speak for themselves, and if the world is lucky enough, we might just see Paloma return some day. If not, then hers will most likely go down as the most anticipated 007 spinoff that never happened since that time Halle Berry’s solo film Jinx was put on ice.
One would think that the reaction to No Time To Die’s domestic release this weekend might play a part in any potential future for the character. So if you’re looking to throw your support behind Ana de Armas continuing her action star career, making your way to the theater is one way of voicing your support. Of course, another method would be to throw that same support behind Netflix’s The Grey Man, which will show an even more prepared de Armas going toe to toe on the stage of world espionage, at some point in 2022.
