Few arguments in popular culture spark so much heated debate as this question: Who is the greatest James Bond? For more than 60 years, 007 has appeared on screens in many ways—suave, vicious, clever, moody, and occasionally a bit absurd. There have been seven officially (and unofficially) appointed actors to play the legendary part, each contributing something unique to the character. From genre-defining classics to one-hit wonders, here’s a definitive and rather cheeky list of every James Bond, from the forgettable to the legendary.
7. David Niven — The Outlier
Before Daniel Craig’s game-changer Casino Royale, David Niven played the lead in the 1967 parody version—something of an odd, unofficial Bond film that plays more like a Monty Python sketch than a spy thriller. Niven’s performance was debonair and funny, but the film’s madcap tone (with psychedelic hijinks and Bond rising into heaven) removed all of 007’s cool. A pleasant trivia aside, but not exactly a franchise cornerstone.
6. George Lazenby — The One-and-Done
George Lazenby has a couple of records: the youngest Bond ever (age 29) and the only one to appear in just one official movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). As a model with no experience, he presented a surprisingly good performance that suggested emotional complexity that was never really seen in the character before. The movie now has cult status, but Lazenby’s premature departure left fans speculating what could have been.
5. Pierce Brosnan — The Fashionable Crowd-Pleaser
Pierce Brosnan resembled James Bond—tastefully dressed, good-looking, and deceptively charming. His stint started well with GoldenEye (1995), a glossy comeback after the Cold War break. However, the films subsequently catered more to excessive CGI, cartoonish foes, and some cringeworthy moments (invisibility car, anyone?). Brosnan’s Bond was classy, but sometimes too risk-averse and overly dependent on action flick tropes. Nevertheless, he rebooted the franchise during a critical juncture.
4. Timothy Dalton — The Dark Horse
Timothy Dalton produced only two Bonds (The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill), but his gritty, realistic take on the character was a refreshing change from his predecessor’s wink-and-a-smile approach. Dalton’s Bond was closer to Ian Fleming’s original conception: cold, complex, and emotionally reserved. His approach was far too far ahead of its time, so much so that viewers weren’t quite prepared for it in the late ’80s. But looking back, his performance set the stage for the gritty reinterpretations to come.
3. Roger Moore — The Charming Gentleman
Nobody played Bond longer than Roger Moore, who infused the character with suave, cheeky charm throughout seven pictures. Whether he was battling steel-toothed heavies, avoiding laser beams, or parachuting into enemy-held territory, Moore was always ready with a wisecrack. His Bond was hardly the most realistic or intense, but he was certainly fun. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) is a high-point Moore—suave, witty, and unremittingly Bond.
2. Daniel Craig — The Reinventor
When Daniel Craig assumed the role in Casino Royale (2006), he turned the Bond formula on its head. Goodbye gadgets and flirtatious smirks—hello to a vicious, emotionally scarred agent struggling with betrayal, trauma, and the burden of his license to kill. Craig’s portrayal brought the character up to speed for a post-Bourne world, with Skyfall (2012) as a cultural sensation. Critics sometimes noted that his Bond felt burdened by the role, but his impact on the franchise is undeniable. He gave us the most human Bond to date.
1. Sean Connery — The Blueprint
Sean Connery is Bond. Beginning with Dr. No (1962) and ending with Diamonds Are Forever (1971)—and even in his unofficial comeback in Never Say Never Again—Connery set the gold standard for the character. He mixed menace with magnetism, spoke lines like “shaken, not stirred” with quiet confidence, and made tuxedos seem like armor with ease. Even writer Ian Fleming, who was initially skeptical, later came to applaud Connery’s performance. All Binds since have borrowed from his legacy.
Bonus Bond Trivia: Because 007 Is All About the Details
- Most official Bond movies: Roger Moore (7), tied with Sean Connery if you include Never Say Never Again.
- Youngest Bond: George Lazenby (29).
- Oldest Bond: Roger Moore (58 during A View to a Kill).
- Most on-screen kills in one film: Daniel Craig (235 in Spectre).
- Most romantic conquests in a single film: Sean Connery (From Russia with Love) and Roger Moore (A View to a Kill), each with four.
- Most contentious theme song: A tie between “Nobody Does It Better” (The Spy Who Loved Me) and “All Time High” (Octopussy).
No matter which Bond era you were raised on—or which actor you believe embodies the character—there’s no question about the franchise’s cultural longevity. No matter your preference for your 007 to be deadly serious, cheekily charming, or anything in between, whether the best Bond is Martini or bearded is as ageless as the spy himself. And let’s face it: half the appeal of Bond is arguing over Bond.