Aaron Taylor-Johnson hits back at Bond rumours as he slams 'pop culture studio ... trends now
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has delved into his career ambitions, and he doesn't aspire to be the next James Bond.
Amid rumours the British actor, 33, has all but signed a deal to follow in Daniel Craig's footsteps as 007, he has spoken out in a new interview with Rolling Stone UK, insisting he won't be a part of the 'pop culture studio film' machine.
In a cover shoot to promote his latest role in Sony's next Marvel film Kraven the Hunter, Aaron muses on the direction his stellar career is heading after two decades on the big screen.
Asked directly about the reports that he is in talks to be Bond, the actor coyly replies that he 'can only really talk about the things I'm going to show and tell,' before tellingly adding:
'I don't feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like, whatever's drawn out for me, I can f**kin' do better.'
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has delved into his career ambitions, and he doesn't aspire to be the next James Bond
Amid rumours the British actor, 33, has all but signed a deal to follow in Daniel Craig 's footsteps as 007, he has spoken out in a new interview with Rolling Stone UK
While he hasn't been cast as Bond, Aaron has taken on the lead in another big budget action franchise.
But the actor insists he can find the nuances in any character, even in Kraven - a big-game hunter whose singular goal in life is to beat Spider-Man.
'I think there was something unique about this character, and something grounded,' he insists, adding: 'We've all had enough of seeing certain studio films, a certain kind of pop culture… where they're churning out stuff that dilutes wanting to go to the cinema'.
'I wouldn't have signed onto it if I felt there wasn't something to really bring to life with this character.'
The star adds that the extreme physical transformation he undertook to play the Marvel villain made him ponder if he wanted to put himself through it for film after film, explaining: 'I wanted to approach it like an actor, and I'm not someone who's just juicing up and going to the gym.'
'I don't necessarily want this to be my brand, doing one action movie after another. But I trained to the point where I was 200 pounds of muscle. I ate so much f**king food. I was so big.'
Away from his movie roles, which also including upcoming Ryan Gosling movie The Fall Guy and Robert Eggers' eagerly anticipated reimagining of Nosferatu, Aaron is happiest at home with wife Sam, 57 and their two daughters Wylda Rae, 13, and Romy Hero 11.
'People see and perceive this thing around my career, and that's OK. But I'm just trying to juggle my family and my work,' he explains.
In a cover shoot to promote his latest role in Sony's next Marvel film Kraven the Hunter, Aaron muses on the direction his stellar career is heading after two decades on the big screen
Asked directly about the reports that he is in talks to be Bond, the actor coyly replies that he 'can only really talk about the things I'm going to show and tell'
: 'I don't feel like I need to have a future drawn out for me. I feel like, whatever's drawn out for me, I can f**kin' do better,' he admits
'I'm doing normal life; dentist appointments. Career doesn't necessarily take a back seat, but it takes a different thought behind the choices that you make. But you also discover characters you're drawn to because of that, you're not just some 20-year-old anymore. You unlock some secret thing… I don't want a jobbing career.'
'You realise it's your job to protect the purest, most innocent thing that's come into the world. And it's your duty to be their role model,' he gushes.
'You are going to be reflected in their choices later on in life, from who their partners are to how they carry themselves in the world.'
Insiders have denied reports that Aaron has been cast as the new James Bond.
The Sun reported on Monday that the British actor had been 'formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond', putting an end to months of speculation regarding Daniel Craig's successor.
But just 24 hours later the BBC put an end to speculation, with a production insider revealing that there is 'no truth in the rumours'.
The initial report suggested that the deal was all but done with Aaron who was on the verge of officially accepting the role of a lifetime, which would have made him only the seventh actor to play the iconic British secret agent since the franchise launched in 1962.
A recent poll suggested Idris Elba was still the public's number one choice for the role, despite being 51 - old for a Bond candidate - and already ruling himself out of the running in order to focus on his crime drama, Luther.
Responding to the rumours that he could step into Bond's shoes last week, Aaron played coy, telling Numero: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'
The star adds that the extreme physical transformation he undertook to play the Marvel villain made him ponder if he wanted to put himself through it for film after film
He began acting as a child and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearance this year alone.
He also has been nominated for two BAFTAs and previously won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for Nocturnal Animals.
The Bullet Train star's name has been in the running for Bond for a while now, alongside fellow A-list contenders like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and recent Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy.
In October last year, the Mail exclusively revealed that Aaron was the 'one to beat' to take the iconic role, while Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was looking likely to helm the next film in the franchise.
The insider said: 'Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently the hot favorite to step into the iconic role, he's the first choice
