News culture Sean Connery refused to reprise this iconic role – even at Steven Spielberg’s request
There’s no need to introduce Sean Connery, one of Season 7’s most iconic actors. The man who wore the costume of James Bond between 1962 and 1971 and played many iconic characters in the cinema was one of the most influential stars in Hollywood at the height of his fame. The Scottish-born actor even refused to reprise one of his most famous roles – despite Steven Spielberg’s request.
In 1962 Sean Connery reveals himself to the world thanks to his role in James Bond 007 vs. Dr. No. In total, the actor will appear in six films James Bond between 1962 and 1971, before he decided to pass the torch and took the opportunity to turn a new page in his career. A decision that proves to be a wise one for the Scottish actor, as he has had a successful careerParticipation in critical and financial successes like this Highlander de Mulcahy, The untouchables by De Palma (which won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1988) or even Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade the Steven Spielberg.
From James Bond to Allan Quatermain
In fact, the actor was cast by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas (producer of the film) for the role of Indiana Jones’ father in the third part of this adventure saga. Another particularly intelligent decision from Sean Connery, as his role in this work of an already popular franchise allowed him to be nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe (which he did not win). In addition, he was able to further consolidate his status as a cinema star by reaching new audiences.
Despite these successes in the 1970s and 1980s, Sean Connery’s career took an unfortunate turn in the 1990s and 2000s. Actually back then The actor finds himself in an industry that, as he admits, overwhelms him and he is offered scripts that appeal to him less and less. After his casting in the film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003, a feature film with terrible reviews but a box office success, The recently knighted Scottish actor decides to retire and step away from film sets.
Comfort after the effort
If Sean Connery never appears in front of the camera again until his death in 2020Things obviously could have been different. It turns out it was the mid-2000s, when Spielberg and Lucas were in the middle of pre-production on what would become Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The accomplices suggested that Sean Connery take on the role of Professor Henry Jones Sr. : a suggestion that the actor would have quickly rejected.
I talked to Spielberg, but it didn’t work. It wasn’t a very generous role worth getting back in the saddle for. Plus, the story had taken a different turn, so Indy’s father wasn’t really important. I suggested they kill him in the movie, that would have been better. – (Sean Connery)
It must be said that at the time of production of the scriptIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Sean Connery is already retired, a situation with which he is happy and the proposed role was not substantial enough to warrant reconsiderationeven temporarily, for small independent directors he knows.
