Michael Fassbender Auditioned for James Bond but Suggested Daniel Craig to Producers: ‘I Don’t Know Why I Was Promoting Him. I Should’ve Promoted Myself’

Michael Fassbender appeared on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast and revealed that he suggested Daniel Craig for James Bond during his own 007 audition for “Casino Royale.”

“I met with Barbara Broccoli just you know through passing and I actually went in to an audition phase before Daniel [Craig] was cast, but I don’t think I was ever in the mix,” Fassbender said. “But I remember going into that room and meeting with her and [Michael G.] Wilson and I think I was like, ‘Daniel Craig is…’ I don’t know why I was promoting him, I should have been promoting myself.”

“This is what I was saying, I was terrible at auditions,” the actor added while also admitting that he bombed his audition for “Mad Max: Fury Road” simply by showing up to the Warner Bros. an hour late. “Obviously Daniel did a fantastic job and went on to be I think the most successful Bond in history but that was it really, there was never a conversation after that.”

Fassbender was one of several young stars to audition for Bond when the franchise was being rebooted after Pierce Brosnan’s final outing in “Die Another Day.” One of the biggest contenders to emerge during the audition process was Henry Cavill, although he ended up being too young for the producers’ liking. “Casino Royale” director Martin Campbell told Express UK last year that Cavill’s audition was incredible.

“He looked great in the audition. His acting was tremendous,” Campbell said. “And look, if Daniel didn’t exist, Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape…very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then.”

The search for a new James Bond actor remains ongoing now that Daniel Craig has stepped down from 007 after five movies. Watch Fassbender’s full interview on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast in the video below.