Tom Hiddleston is struggling to deal with rumours that he’s set to be named the next James Bond.
The 35-year-old actor has long been linked to the role of the super suave spy, currently filled by Daniel Craig. His role as secret agent Jonathan Pine in BBC miniseries The Night Manager fuelled the speculation, but Tom is finding it “overwhelming” being asked about the prospect of being cast as 007 on a daily basis.
“It’s all becoming overwhelming… Not the thing of it but the number of people per day who bring it up,” Tom admitted to Reuters at the Los Angeles premiere of The Night Manager on Tuesday night (05Apr16). “It’s like… it’s like it’s actually becoming a little, a weird thing to deal with. I feel like I want to just, make it stop! Because I have no power over it. Anyway, whatever, that’s what being famous is – you have no power over other people’s opinions.”
Tom previously admitted playing Bond would be an “extraordinary opportunity”. However, he added that since he has not been officially approached for the role, he finds it odd talking about a job prospect that stems entirely from the general public.
“People have strong opinions about Bond and why shouldn’t they?” he explained. “But it’s difficult to talk about because it’s a really unreal conversation in a way. I haven’t spoken to anybody who makes those films, it’s just an idea in people’s minds. So it’s quite hard to engage with because it hasn’t come from me, if that makes sense.”
Tom’s comments come just days after Dame Judi Dench, who starred as British spy chief M alongside two previous Bond actors, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig before bowing out as the character in 2012’s Skyfall, backed Tom for the role.
“I would have thought so,” she told the BBC when asked if she though Tom would be a good replacement for Daniel. “I was there for Pierce’s first day and Daniel’s first day – and you see the whites of their eyes. It’s a huge mantle to take on but you’re very well looked after.”
Although speculation on who will be the next James Bond is hotting up, there is still no official vacancy, as Daniel Craig has not announced whether he intends to continue after last year’s (15) blockbuster hit, Spectre.
