George Clooney Endorses 'Handsome' Actor to Become the New James Bond — 'He's Tall and Charming'
George Clooney has revealed his top choice to take over from Daniel Craig and become the new James Bond.
June 10 2026, Published 6:05 p.m. ET
George Clooney has given his number one pick to become the new James Bond.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Hollywood star says one of his former co-stars is perfect for the iconic role, which has been vacant since Daniel Craig starred in his final 007 movie, No Time To Die, in 2021.
'He's the Perfect Guy to Do it'
Clooney believes Callum Turner would be the ideal choice to play 007.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi are leading the race according to bookmakers, alongside Callum Turner, who starred alongside Clooney in 2023 movie The Boys in the Boat.
And the Brit clearly made an impression on the 65-year-old, who’s backing him to fill Craig's shoes.
Clooney told The Hollywood Reporter: "I hope Callum ends up being the next Bond. I think he would be a great Bond. He's tall and handsome and charming and British, so he's the perfect guy to do it."
Clooney didn’t stop there, going on to praise the 36-year-old actor's career choices and understated rise.
'He Hasn’t Just Gone for the Easy Paychecks'
Clooney praised Turner's career journey.
He added: "He hasn’t just gone for the easy paychecks — he’s done really interesting work. Somehow Callum has weaved his way through all of the noise and found a place where people look at him and go, 'There's something with this young man.' It's exciting to watch people saying, 'That guy — that's a guy I want to follow and pay attention to.'"
He also reflected on how different the path to leading-man status has become in today’s industry.
"Speaking as an older guy now, it's interesting how much more difficult it is than it was back in the day," Clooney explained.
'I Know Nothing'
Turner, posing with new wife Dua Lipa, claims there is nothing substantial linking him to Bond rumors.
"It’s just harder," he said. "Talk to any big-time producer or big-time director: They’re constantly going, ‘Who’s a leading man now? Who’s the one?'"
For Clooney, Turner – who recently married singer Dua Lipa – is exactly that. "I can’t explain it, but I know it when I see it," he said of star quality.
As for Turner himself, he remained cautious about the swirling Bond speculation, telling the outlet he wouldn’t comment on whether he would take on the role if offered.
But he added: "I'll tell you what’s so funny about the Bond thing: Even your best friends ask you, people text you that you haven't spoken to for 10 years – and you know nothing!"
RadarOnline.com recently told how Vikings: Valhalla star Leo Suter has become a leading contender to become the next 007.
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'Vikings: Valhalla' star Leo Suter has emerged as a new contender to play Bond.
The actor has hinted conversations with Bond bosses have taken place.
Speaking to the Times in January, the 32-year-old Brit said: "I think it might be somewhere in there, yeah, and I wouldn't say no."
The Netflix star's growing odds for 007 come amid major momentum behind the Amazon reboot, with Dune and Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve now attached to helm the next chapter, while Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has been brought in to write the screenplay.
Although nothing has been officially confirmed, industry speculation continues to point towards a fresh origin-style take on Bond, potentially following a younger version of the character at the start of his career.
That approach would mirror the direction of the new video game 007 First Light, which also reimagines Bond in his early MI6 days.
