‘Outlander’ Star Sam Heughan Once Auditioned for James Bond

Outlander star Saem Heughan has revealed he auditioned to be the new James Bond before the role ultimately went to Daniel Craig in 2006's Casino Royale.

"Have I thought about it? Yeah, I have a few times," Heughan said on Live! with Kelly and Ryan when host Ryan Seacrest suggested the actor for the role.

"I did audition for Bond a long time ago when they were redoing it with Daniel Craig, when he was [doing] Bond 21. They were going to go younger with him and it was a pretty cool experience. And it's about time we had a Scottish Bond."

Before the part went to Craig, future Superman star Henry Cavill caught the eye of Casino Royale director Martin Campbell, who told Latino Review Cavill was "the only serious [actor] in the running."

"We had that very young chap named Henry Cavill who was really good but I think at the end he was too young, he's 22," Campbell said.

"But Henry, believe me, he is going to be a big talent. Very good looking, very strong physically and a good actor. But he's too young for this Bond, basically, that was it. When he gets a little more acting experience under his belt he'll be terrific."

Campbell added other names said to be in contention at the time, including Hulk star Eric Bana and X-Men star Hugh Jackman, were "just all rumors."

Cavill, who was rumored as Craig's replacement in recent weeks, has long expressed interest in the role and said he would accept if approached.

"I think Bond would be a really fun role," Cavill told Yahoo Movies while doing press for Mission: Impossible — Fallout, where he plays a deadly super spy.

"It's British, it's cool. I think now that I have my Mission: Impossible badge we can do real stunts and really amp it up as well."

He added: "Not to say they weren't doing real stunts [on Bond] — I'm just saying it would be fun for me to actually take what I've learnt on this and carry it through to a movie like Bond. I'd love to play a Brit — I don't get to play a Brit very often. So yes, I would love the opportunity and if they were to ask, I would say yes."

Game of Thrones and Bodyguard star Richard Madden is the most recent actor said to be up for the new James Bond as The Sun claims franchise producer Barbara Broccoli is readying an offer for Madden.

Craig next returns as 007 in Cary Joji Fukunaga's Bond 25, dated for February 14, 2020.