There’s been chatter about who the next James Bond might be. One actor linked to the role is Luke Evans.
Now aged 44, Evans is perhaps in the upper age range to play the iconic spy (although Roger Moore was 45 when he first played Bond in Live and Let Die). It’s something Evans himself is aware of. In recent interviews, he’s sought to play down the possibility of landing the job.
Whether he plays Bond or not, as an actor, Evans remains much in demand. Born in Wales in 1979, he began his career on the London stage in shows such as Rent and Miss Saigon. He got his big break in movies in Clash Of The Titans (2010). Evans went on to appear in Immortals (2011), The Three Musketeers (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), and the three Hobbit movies. He played Gaston in Disney’s live-action Beauty & The Beast and popped up in its more recent live-action Pinocchio.
Recent TV work includes The Pembrokeshire Murders, Nine Perfect Strangers, and Echo 3.
He’ll be seen next opposite Billy Porter in Our Son. The two men will play a divorcing couple wrangling over custody of their eight-year-old child. It premieres at this month’s Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
Alongside his acting, Evans has also carved out a successful career as a singer. His most recent album went top five in the UK.
Coming out
Evans first came out in an interview in 2002. Aged 23, he was appearing alongside Boy George in the musical, Taboo. However, after that, and perhaps with his eye on a career in Hollywood, he stopped talking about his sexuality, asserting a divide between his public and private life.
In recent years, he’s again been more open. In a 2020 interview with Attitude, he expressed frustration with accusations he ever hid his sexuality. He said he just valued keeping his relationships private.
“It was the last thing I had, because everything else I’ve given to the world,” he said of his guarded private life. “My career was public, I was photographed, and all that stuff. My personal life just became the last thing that I had. Also, what was strange was that when people did find out that I was gay, there was a lot of articles and stuff written saying that I was hiding it, and I wasn’t.”
“I just wanted to get online and I wanted to pick up the phone and say, ‘Do you realize I left home at 16 because I was gay?’ I went into the world as a kid, because I had to,”
Evans was raised an only child by parents who were devout Jehovah’s Witnesses. He left the religion when he left home.
We can’t help but feel that Evans has still not hit the career heights he deserves. If not Bond, he has the acting ability and physical skills to star in his own big-budget action franchise… and it’s something we’d love to see.
In fact, his Instagram could be an audition reel for such a role. Not to mention showing off his great body, his love of beach vacations, and equally sexy boyfriend, Fran Tomas.
Click through to see some examples of Luke – and his flawless physique – in action.
CatholicXXX
I can see it as an action hero because he’s pretty masc and normal.
paul dorian lord fredine
referring to him as ‘it’ and ‘normal’ is not only insulting but blatantly homophobic.
Pietro D
Blatantly stupid phrasing! You really should be careful as to what you say and how you say it!
Woe! Never thought anyone could be that insensitive or moronic…… take your choice!
theaterbloke
I like Luke Evans but would rather see him in more serious work. I thought he would have done well in the role Dominic West had in the 2nd Downton Abbey movie. And he would have been more age appropriate for Thomas Barrow.
Pietro D
First encountered Luke Evans and was smitten by him in the 2 part British Dramatic Series, The Great Train Robbery based on a true story of perhaps the biggest heist in British History when over 2 billion Pounds were stolen…… Eventually all the conspirators were caught and served very heavy sentences. I believe the heist took place in the early 60’s, but don’t quote me on that.
I was only a teen when I saw the series and had no idea that Luke was gay….. perhaps, at the time no one knew. Luke was so fresh and young in the series and his nude scenes (NOT FRONTAL) blew me away as I wasn’t used to seeing male butt on the big or small screen. Luke was totally clean shaven amd his butt was to die for…… couldn’t get it or him off my mind. I saw the series a second time when I was 6 years older because I actually loved the series and I definitely wanted to see Luke bare ass again. He made quite the impression on me at the time. I was taken by surprise when I learned he was gay, but I suppose I shouldn’t have been since I always saw him being photographed with hot men, a few of whom were BFs at various stages of his life. Go Luke! I love Henry Cavill, as well, the two Brits who really do it for me!
missvamp
I adore him. I’d love to see him as James bond!!