Cast Spotlight Pierce Brosnan Part 2

Pierce seemed always destined for the role of James Bond. In a number of interviews, he has said that he was influenced to become an actor by Sean Connery’s performance in Goldfinger, the first movie he had ever seen.

In 1981 while accompanying his first wife Cassandra Harris on the set of For Your Eyes Only (1982), he was spotted by the producer of the Bond films, Albert Broccoli, who felt he would be perfect for the role of Bond when Roger Moore retired. In 1986 Brosnan was offered the role, but had to decline due to his commitments to Remington Steele. The next Bond, Timothy Dalton starred in two films until the series became embroiled in legal issues over owernership rights which lasted six years. When the series was set to begin filming again, Dalton declined to continue in the role. On June 7, 1994 Brosnan was announced as the fifth Bond.

He played Bond in four films, Goldeneye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002). His performances were received with critical praise and the films were very successful at the box office. In 2004 due to breakdown of negotiations with the studio, Pierce stated that he was done with the role saying “Bond is another lifetime, behind me”.

During the time between Bond roles, Brosnan kept very busy. In 1996, he started his own production company, Irish Dream Time along with partner Beau St. Clair. Brosnan starred in the company’s first production, The Thomas Crown Affair (1999). Other projects during that time include Professor Donald Kessler in Mars Attacks (1996), vocanologist Harry Dalton in Dante’s Peak (1997), Archie Grey Owl in Grey Owl (1999), and Andy Osnard in the spy thriller The Tailor of Panama (2001).

Brosnan has kept very busy post-Bond. He played Daniel Rafferty in Laws of Attraction (2004) a film which he was also executive producer. In 2005, he played Julian Noble in the Irish Dream Time production of The Matador, a role which garnered him a Golden Globe, Saturn and Irish Film and Television nomination for Best Actor. He also had roles in Seraphim Falls (2006), Married Life (2007), Shattered (2007) (which is also produced), Momma Mia (2008), and The Greatest (2009).

His production company has produced seven films, including The Nephew (1998), Evelyn (2002) in addition to the films that he has been previously been listed as producer. Future endeavors for the company include The Thomas Crown Affair 2.

Currently, he has three films out in the theaters, Percy Jackson and the Olympians (2010) in which he plays Chiron and The Ghost Writer (2010) in which he plays Adam Lange. Remember Me, in which he plays Charles Hawkins, is scheduled to be released on March 12.

Outside of his film work, Pierce is a very active in environmental issues and was awarded the 2007 Goldene Kamara award for his dedication.

Other awards and recognition include a Lifetime Achievement from the Chicago Film Festival, the International Star of the Year from the Cinema Expo in Amsterdam, an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and honorary doctorate from the University College Cork and an Order of the British Empire which was bestowed by the Queen of England.

For more on Pierce's career, please click here:
Pierce Brosnan Part 1