Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson © Getty

Aaron Taylor-Johnson's wife Sam breaks silence over James Bond rumours

Several actors are competing to succeed Daniel Craig's James Bond

Deputy Online Editor
March 29, 2024

Sam Taylor-Johnson has reacted to the much-talked-about speculation that her husband Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to be the next actor to play James Bond

Over the past couple of weeks, reports have circulated and have suggested that Aaron, 33, has been offered the role of the iconic 007 agent, succeeding Daniel Craig in the spy film franchise. 

Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson attend "Bullet Train" Premiere At Le Grand Rex on July 18, 2022 in Paris, France© Stephane Cardinale - Corbis
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is tipped to be the next James Bond

Appearing on this week's The Jonathan Ross Show, 57-year-old director Sam was probed about the potential casting – to which, she said: "Carry on speculating. He'd be great." 

Staying coy, she joked: "You mean that I might direct a Bond film? The first woman director." 

The couple, whose love life has been the subject of headlines due to their 24-year age gap, have been married since 2012 after meeting on the set of the 2009 film Nowhere Boy, which starred Aaron and was directed by Sam. 

© Shutterstock
Sam Taylor-Johnson appears on this week's The Jonathan Ross Show

Since then, they have worked together again on the 2018 adaptation of James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces. 

"It's really interesting," added Sam. "When I directed Nowhere Boy, he wasn't my husband. When I directed A Million Little Pieces he was." 

SEE: Aaron Taylor-Johnson's controversial Somerset home that got him into trouble even 007 couldn't fix

She continued: "He gets very intense. It's quite interesting depending on what character he's playing. Nocturnal Animals for example, was very hard. 

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Aaron and Sam renewed their vows on their 10th wedding anniversay

"He was not washing, his nails were really long, he was drinking and he was watching a lot of serial killer documentaries. He wanted to be toxic from the inside in order to play such a toxic character. There was one morning when he woke up and thought the bed was on fire but we were actually saging him." 

Before meeting and marrying Aaron, the director was previously married to ex-husband Jay Jopling, whom she separated from in 2008. They welcomed two daughters together: Angelica, who was born in 1997, and Jessie, born in 2005. 

Sam and Aaron welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Wylda Rae in July 2010. Two years later in January 2012, they welcomed another girl named Romy Hero Johnson.

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Sam with actress Marisa Abela ahead of the release of Back to Black

Meanwhile, Sam - an esteemed figure in the film industry - has also directed titles such as Fifty Shades of Grey and the upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black. 

Speaking about her latest film and casting actress Marisa Abela as the late singer, Sam remarked: "I had all these young women sitting outside coming in, and most of them had come in, in some shape or form with either a hoop earring or cat eye or something. 

"Marisa had none of that – she came in as herself but she was the first person in the room. I was fiddling around with the camera, chatting with the casting director and I just looked in the lens and Marisa looked up and she completely transformed. She hadn't even said anything. I thought, 'That's her.'"

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