The day Mads Mikkelsen lost the Casino Royale script on a plane

“It could have ended my career.”

Mads Mikkelsen has just been honored at the Zurich festival. Variety was on site and relayed a funny anecdote told by the Danish actor to the audience.

“Casino Royaleit was the first screenplay of my career on which my name was written on every page, he remembers. Which means if you lose it, everyone will know it’s your fault. So I got on a plane, started reading it, and fell asleep. When I woke up I went out leaving him there. I was lucky that the person responsible for cleaning the plane took it and threw it away without knowing what it was. Because it could have ended my career immediately.”

Daniel Craig, Eva Green and Mads Mikkelsen at the Casino Royale photocall in Coppenhagen, November 2, 2006.

The role of Le Chiffre changed the life of Mads Mikkelsen, who was already famous in his home country, but who saw his popularity explode when he faced Daniel Craig’s James Bond. Seventeen years after the success of this Martin Campbell film, he admits to having signed 007 without knowing anything about it.

“I had never watched Jump at the time. Of course I lied for the audition. I just knew this guy with his metal teeth (Shark, editor’s note). I didn’t realize what a huge franchise it was until we all found ourselves at the premiere in London, having to meet the Queen. Unless she was the one who should have come to see us?, he jokes about the royal red carpet organized in the company of Elizabeth II. For the record, there was also Elton John, Sting, Jamiroquaï, Jason Statham, Paris Hilton, Michelle Yeoh, Richard Bronson…

Queen Elizabeth II shaking hands with Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright and Mads Mikkelsen at the premiere of Casino Royale, November 15, 2006.

The discussion then leads to a funny question: now that he has played in the franchise and is aware of the enormous popularity of James Bond, would he like succeed Daniel Craig in the role ? “Look, if the fans had a problem with Daniel’s nose back then, I’m sure they wouldn’t like my accent!” he retorts, laughing.

Mads responds with a pirouette, but it is true that before the release of Casino Royale, few spectators believed in the main actor, who then succeeded Pierce Brosnan. Craig was criticized for his looks “ungrateful”his blondness, his supposed lack of charisma, etc., before bluffing everyone in the role.

Now, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are looking for an actor to play the new James Bond. A character they want “reinvent”but not too young either: they would have actors in their thirties in their sights for the role.

Mads Mikkelsen: “I don’t particularly want to be ugly in my films”