The name’s O’Connor. Josh O’Connor. Rumors began swirling last year that Josh O’Connor was a potential frontrunner to play the next James Bond. But since 007 productions tend to be on the more top-secret end, nothing has been confirmed. But that also means nothing has been denied. Now, the actor is addressing those rumors.

Speaking with Deadline, Josh O’Connor claimed that he is in the dark about anything related to being the next James Bond, although he sees where all the chatter started. “I have no thoughts, really. The truth is that … I think in the space of a week, I made a joke about, wouldn’t it be funny if I played Bond? Then, me and Daniel [Craig] did an Actors on Actors, and then something else happened, and then suddenly I was James Bond. If I am Bond, I don’t know about it.”

Josh O’Connor may be telling the truth or playing coy when it comes to his Bond future, but a lot has been leaning his way. The sitdown with Daniel Craig — who insists he doesn’t care one bit about who plays 007 next — last month felt like an omen, while The Hollywood Reporter flat out made that prediction that O’Connor would be the one cast as Craig’s successor.

Either way, I think it might be quite a while before we actually know who will be the next James Bond, as right now, Amazon MGM Studios and Eon Productions are at odds about where the future of the 60+-year-old franchise will go. That sort of standstill — with Eon wanting to take their time in seeing the series through its next era and Amazon aiming for a rush job that would also see TV spinoffs — puts a serious halt on things. Yes, we’re all ready to see who the next 007 will be and what will come of the Bond movies, but it is something that truly needs time. And if time is used during the delay to find the perfect fit for the character, all the better.

Of all of the names that have circled James Bond as of late, do you think Josh O’Connor is a strong choice? Do you see him landing the role?

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