The Boys’ Antony Starr Recalls Failed 007 Audition, And His Description Is A+

A bearded Antony Starr stands dressed in black with a look of stoicism in G20.
(Image credit: Ilze Kitshoff/Prime Video)

As fans wait for him to reprise his role as Homelander on Prime Video’s The Boys next year, Antony Starr has a plum spot on the 2025 movie schedule. The New Zealand-born actor plays a terrorist in the upcoming action movie G20, and the role, which he plays opposite Viola Davis, seems akin to a James Bond villain.Which kind of feels like a bit of poetry when you take into account that Starr’s Casino Royale audition recently leaked. And, now, the actor has an excellent take on his 007 tryout.

That aforementioned clip, along with reels showing actors such as Henry Cavill and Sam Worthington also trying their hand at the metaphorical poker table, has been quite the topic of discussion. So obviously, when Antony Starr appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, host/Bond Whisperer Josh Horowitz had to ask how the man felt about that experience. What you'll read below is Starr’s apt description of auditioning for Bond in the early aughts, and I can’t argue with his chosen metaphor:

My metaphor for that was like throwing a baitless hook into a very large pond, knowing you’re not gonna catch the fish. I’ve seen it. That was when Daniel Craig was getting it.

Unless you're like Sam Neill and just happened to “extreme reluctance,” when reading for 007, I can't see a person not at least trying to get cast as the next James Bond. If I knew I even had a shot at getting into the conversation, I’d leave my laptop, rent a tuxedo and try not to slip into an impression of the various men who’ve played Bond - just for the story!

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Whether he'd succeeded as James Bond, or stayed on his current course with The Boys, it seems that Antony Starr was always meant for Prime Video. And if you're an Amazon Prime member, you probably already have access to the platform that houses that darkly comic satire, as well as Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Don't worry if you're not though, as you can always sign up for a 30-day trial, with the option of paying $14.99 a month, or $139 upfront for the year to keep going. No lethal eye beams required!

However, as was similarly the case with Michael Fassbender’s James Bond tryout, Antony Starr could see the writing was on the wall and that he wouldn't be cast. As Starr continued to tell the story behind the audition in that recently resurfaced tape, the Without a Paddle star proved that he knew exactly what he was getting himself into at the time:

They were just dragnetting the globe, and I was just one of the little minnows somewhere in there that got caught in the net. It was a bit surreal. It came out of the blue, and I sort of went in and did that reading. It’s not very good, but it’s reflective of where I was at.

Of course, Starr eventually became a pop culture icon due to his role on The Boys (which is streamable with a Prime Video subscription). It is, however, tempting to consider what his Commander Bond might have been like. As was the case with Henry Cavill’s 007 audition reel, and as Starr himself admitted, you can indeed get a sense of where he was as an actor at that point in his career via the video. Check it out:

Anthony Starr James Bond Screen Tests 2005 - YouTube Anthony Starr James Bond Screen Tests 2005 - YouTube
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I think that if the James Bond franchise had proceeded with an actor similar to Pierce Brosnan, Antony Starr could have been a sterling candidate. His lethal rage as Homelander, mixed with the good-natured attitude tell me that he would've struck a fine balance between Sean Connery and Roger Moore. That, of course, wasn’t what Casino Royale was looking for.

Starr admittedly didn't give a perfect reading of the Goldeneye scene provided to him, but he certainly showed promise. Then again, it’s easy to say that when looking at where Starr’s career is today. On that note, you can see him alongside Viola Davis when in the thriller G20 when it hits Prime Video on April 10th.

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.

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