Who Is Tom Hopper and Why Is He Favourite to Be the Next James Bond?

British actor Tom Hopper has a long list of film and TV credits behind him, but there was still a degree of surprise when he was recently linked heavily with the role of James Bond.

What has Hopper done in his career to date and where does the 007 speculation come from?

 

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Source: Unsplash

 

Why Is Hopper Touted as a Future James Bond?

A look at the next James Bond betting list shows that Hopper is ahead of names like Richard Madden, Tom Hardy and Rege Jean Page. Further down the odds, we see less likely names like Chris Hemsworth and Jamie Bell, while even Bono and Prince Harry are listed, for those people who like to bet on a real outside shot.

This is one of the most sought-after roles in the movie industry, as many top actors will be keen to have a shot at it now that Daniel Craig has officially ended his time as 007 following No Time to Die. The 2021 movie was Craig’s fifth time playing the spy and fans are keen to find out whether a new Bond star will take the franchise in a different direction.

Leicestershire-born Hopper recently shot to the top of the betting after rumours emerged that he is on a short-list drawn up by Barbara Broccoli and other influential names in the franchise. However, Broccoli has already confirmed that no interviews for the role will be taking place until 2022, and the process looks like being shrouded in secrecy.

 

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Source: Unsplash

 

What Has He Done So Far in His Career?

Hopper discovered a passion for acting at school and starred in several productions as a youth before studying drama at Rose Bruford College. He got his start as a professional actor on TV shows like Doctors and Casualty, where he picked up small roles, before his first big break saw him star in the 2009 movie Tormented.

His career went from strength to strength after this, as he appeared in Doctor Who and the BBC’s Merlin. Hopper came to the attention of far more viewers when he landed the role of Dickon Tarly in Game of Thrones, appearing in four episodes of the HBO blockbuster.

More recently, the English actor raised his profile by starring as Luther Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy on Netflix.  He plays the part of one of the superhero siblings in the popular show, which has a third series ready to air early in 2022.

In terms of movies. Hopper has starred in both SAS: Red Notice and the Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard recently, with the latter seeing him appear alongside big names like Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek, with Ryan Reynolds as bodyguard Michael Bryce.

We will need to wait a bit longer to see if there is any chance of seeing Tom Hopper as the new James Bond. His career to date certainly suggests that he is ready to take the step up to this sort of responsibility, although there is intense competition among the biggest names in the business who all want to play Bond too.

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