In a surprising twist during his audition for the iconic role of James Bond, Michael Fassbender found himself unintentionally cheering on his competition—Daniel Craig. In a candid appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Oscar-nominated actor shared amusing details from his 2006 audition for Casino Royale.

Fassbender's Audition Experience

When podcast host Josh Horowitz inquired whether there had been any noteworthy discussions about Fassbender playing Bond, he responded, “I met with Barbara Broccoli just through passing, and I actually went in for an audition phase before Daniel was cast, but I don’t think I was ever in the mix.” Despite being in contention, Fassbender found himself in a bit of a strange position during the audition—promoting Daniel Craig instead of securing the role for himself: “I remember going into that room and meeting with her and [Michael G.] Wilson, and I ended up saying, ‘Daniel Craig is…’ I don’t know why I was promoting him; I should have been promoting myself!”

A Humorous Take on Auditions

Fassbender humorously added, “I was terrible at auditions,” noting that his experience wasn't limited to Bond. He recalled his audition for Mad Max: Fury Road being a disaster because he showed up late.

Admiration for Daniel Craig

Although he didn’t land the role of Bond—often regarded as the pinnacle of action-adventure roles—Fassbender expressed nothing but admiration for Craig, who took the reins of the franchise from 2006 to 2021 and became one of its most successful faces. “Obviously, Daniel did a fantastic job and went on to be, I think, the most successful Bond in history,” he said.

Future of the James Bond Franchise

As the franchise navigates the future following Craig’s last outing in No Time to Die, speculation is rampant about who will don the tuxedo next. Fans are eagerly awaiting updates as Amazon MGM Studios has recently taken creative control of the 60-year-old James Bond franchise, promising potential new directions and thrilling developments for 007.

With all this buzz, the anticipation is at an all-time high—who do you think will be the next James Bond, and will they manage to surpass the legacy set by Daniel Craig? Stay tuned for all the latest updates and insider gossip as the search continues!