Gert Fröbe, aka Auric Goldfinger, in Goldfinger (1965)
“When I accepted the role, my first instinct was to watch the previous films to see what I liked best about the different villains of the saga. But I very quickly realized that it was the worst thing to do. To do this, my whole interpretation would align with what had been done before. Either I would copy the best and try to surpass them, or I would forbid myself from certain tracks. would not succeed in creating “my” Silva… It was stupid! I love certain villains of the franchise: Jaws, but also Zorin or Goldfinger belongs to this lineage, while being totally apart. The script showed that the character was strong and could give rise to all kinds. of interpretations. The opposite of an operetta villain.”
Richard Kiel, aka Jaws, in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979)
“My favorite James Bond villain? Jaws, without hesitation. Because I love Richard Kiel who brings emotion out from behind his steel jaw. When he becomes nice in Moonraker, it’s fantastic! Behind the monster, d ‘All of a sudden we saw the human being… Villains often lack depth. Playing evil for evil’s sake doesn’t interest me. It’s like playing a blind person or a lame person, that doesn’t mean anything. Upon reading the script, I found that Silva had everything you would expect from a James Bond villain. He has real depth and a real reason for being, in any case I think his motivations are both twisted! and exciting. What I always liked about these films is that they are halfway between reality and fiction.”
Christopher Walken, aka Max Zorin, in Dangerously Yours (1985)
“This is not the first time that an actor has bleached his hair to play a villain in the saga: Christopher Walken had already experimented with it in Dangerously Yours. But now, I can tell you: I have always dreamed of being blonde and, thanks to Skyfall, it finally came true (Laughing.) More seriously, the idea is Sam Mendes When he explained to me the reasons for this choice, what meaning would it have. the film, and especially that this wig allowed us to pay homage to Zorin (Christopher Walken’s character), I immediately accepted. The villains in the James Bond films are often characterized by a particular physical detail: Le Chiffre’s scar, Zorin’s blondness, the. Scaramanga nipple… Silva is part of this tradition, but not only.”
Jonathan Pryce, aka Elliot Carver, in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
“The character’s look makes you think of Julian Assange? The connection is clever, but I won’t say more… On the other hand, it’s true that the best villains in the saga have always played on paranoia and fears of the spectators. They are not only clowns or villains with outrageous behavior. In each part, the enemies of 007 embody the concerns of the era which saw them born. Take for example Elliot Carver. (Murdochian mogul in Tomorrow Never Dies).” (…)
Mads Mikkelsen, aka Le Chiffre, in Casino Royale (2006)
“(…) or, to a certain extent, Le Chiffre, who finances international terrorism in Casino Royale? These echoes of current events also contribute to the richness of the franchise. As for Silva, you will see !”
Javier Bardem, aka Anton Chigurh, in No Country for Old Men (2008)
“Chigurh, with the Coens, we worked on him as a symbol. The disembodied symbol of violence and evil. It has different colors. It was less a character than an idea. It appeared out of nowhere part to personify the violent and disastrous destiny of the other protagonists. I had to play him in two dimensions, it was very intellectual… Paradoxically, Silva is more human. He has more, how to say, allure, depth. . Born Don’t ask me to elaborate, I don’t really know what I’m saying myself (Laughing.)”
Javier Bardem, aka Raoul Silva, in Skyfall (2012)
“Let’s say that the idea was to find common ground between reality and fiction. With a tribute to the villains of the saga… The film as such is very powerful and it mixes very strong themes. character that I was offered was dense and there are really scenes… Wow… Spectacular And then: Sam Mendes directing, the James Bond of 50 years… How can I say no? ..) When I read the script, I knew that he was a James Bond, but I wanted to know what was there to play, and Silva was really interesting.”
