Alex Rider star Otto Farrant says that the current version of James Bond has run its course, explaining why he would much rather portray a villain.
Alex Rider star Otto Farrant explains why he would much rather play the villain in a Bond movie. Known for a number of supporting roles on the small screen, in addition to his appearances in Royal National Theatre and Young Vic theatrical productions, Farrant has been introduced to new audiences after making his debut as Alex Rider in the summer of 2020.
Based on the novel series of the same name by Anthony Horowitz, Alex Rider takes shape when the eponymous character is recruited by a subdivision of MI6 as a teenage spy to infiltrate places that are off limits to others. The adaptation has been successful, with Farrant’s performance earning strong praise. It has led to questions about what the young actor hopes to accomplish next in his career.
While promoting Alex Rider season 2 in an interview with Collider, Farrant was also asked about his feelings regarding the James Bond franchise. Though the actor readily admits that he’s a fan, expressing a particular fondness for Daniel Craig’s time in the role, he makes it clear that he would be much more inclined to portray a villain. You can read Farrant’s full comments below.
“I’ve played one spy in my life, so I’d go for the villain. I feel like villains are sometimes more interesting than heroes because they’re more extreme. Heroes just clean things up. Villains have got a bit of an edge to them. I feel like playing a villain would be really cool. I’m firmly in the category of thinking that Bond has run its course with the womanizing white man role. I don’t want to be that guy. I’d love to be a villain.”
Farrant’s comments get to the difficulties which exist in film and television narratives, where a villain can sometimes appear more interesting than the hero of the story by virtue of driving the plot forward. As the actor explains, it’s the antagonist that often has an objective and an occasionally outlandish backstory that helps to fuel that objective. By contrast, the hero is often stuck reacting to the foe and attempting to foil their plans. This issue has come across recently in Wonder Woman 1984, which many viewers have noted sidelines the title character in order to highlight Pedro Pascal’s performance as Max Lord. It was also evident in Avengers: Infinity War, which was essentially told from the perspective of Thanos up until that fateful snap. Bond’s villains continue the trend. There have been some bland performers of the titular spy over the decades, even as his adversaries invariably get the chance to chew some scenery.
This is likely why Farrant expresses a fondness for Craig’s iteration of Bond, as his version of the iconic spy comes with a notably dark twist. Still, even as a fan who has love for the classic MGM franchise, the actor is aware that the films have their problematic areas. Perhaps, as the Bond series takes steps to reinvent itself, Farrant could put his own spin on a character such as Blofeld. He’s already garnered praise for his turn as Alex Rider and, as his star continues to rise, he’ll likely bring that same energy to other projects.
Source: Collider
