The Cast of Skyfall
The Skyfall Cast
The Skyfall cast delivered one of the finest Bond movies of all 25 to date. In 2012, Skyfall marked the franchise’s 50th anniversary, and the cast was announced in November 2011 at a press conference held at the Corinthia Hotel in London.
The movie saw Daniel Craig return for his third outing as the iconic British spy, while Judi Dench reprised her role as the head of MI6, M, for the seventh and final time. The movie is built on their relationship and M’s ruthlessness is key throughout the plot.
It sees plenty of nostalgia with Daniel Craig uncovering the Aston Martin DB5 and threatening M with the ejector seat if she doesn’t stop moaning. The film climax is up there with the very best, making an emotional and perfect send off for Judi Dench.
Skyfall introduced a new villain, Raoul Silva, played by Javier Bardem, a former MI6 operative-turned-cyberterrorist seeking revenge against those he holds responsible for betraying him.
Bardem’s portrayal of Silva was highly praised by critics and audiences alike, with some even citing him as one of the most memorable villains in the Bond franchise. Bardem’s dedication to the role was evident, with him having the script translated into his native Spanish and dying his hair blond for the role.
Bérénice Marlohe played the role of Séverine, Raoul Silva’s associate and mistress, who Bond must rescue from his clutches. Marlohe described her character as “glamorous and enigmatic”, taking inspiration from the villain Xenia Onatopp form the cast of GoldenEye.
Ralph Fiennes was cast as Gareth Mallory, a former SAS Lieutenant Colonel who becomes the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and later the new M. Fiennes had previously been considered for the role of Bond in GoldenEye, but was ultimately passed over for the role.
Watch an Interview with Judi Dench on Skyfall
Fiennes’ non-nonsense persona was perfect for the role of Mallory, and he is promoted to the role of M after the death of his predecessor.
Naomie Harris played the role of Eve Moneypenny. The film sees Moneypenny as a young field agent upstart, who accidently shoots Bond. As the film evolves, Moneypenny plays a key role in the field, but at the end she opts for a desk job as M’s secretary, seting up the future of one of the key characters in the Bond franchise.
Ben Whishaw played the role of Q, the MI6 quartermaster, in a fresh take on the iconic character. Whishaw’s Q was portrayed as a younger and more tech-savvy character, with the actor bringing a new energy to the role.
Rory Kinnear reprised his role as Bill Tanner, M’s chief of staff, while Ola Rapace played Patrice, a mercenary under Silva’s command, and both actors played key roles and offered enjoyable scenes throughout the film.
Albert Finney played the role of Kincade, the gamekeeper of the Skyfall estate, where Bond’s final showdown with Silva takes place. The producers had briefly considered approaching Sean Connery for the role in a nod to the franchise’s 50th anniversary, but ultimately decided against it.
Helen McCrory also made an appearance in Skyfall cast as Clair Dowar MP, who oversees a public inquiry into M’s running of MI6. A fantastic actress, who makes any character look so natural, and watching her scenes in the movie was as you’d expect a public hearing to be.
Skyfall was directed by Sam Mendes, who brought a fresh perspective to the Bond franchise, exploring Bond’s and M’s perosnalities and vulnerabilities. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $1.1 billion at the box office and receiving numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards.
The cast of Skyfall was a talented and diverse group of actors who brought new life to the Bond franchise. Skyfall proved that even after 50 years, the Bond franchise can still captivate audiences and keep them on the edge of their seats.
Watch the Skyfall Official Trailer
The rest of the Skyfall Cast and Crew
Bill Buckhurst as Ronson
Elize du Toit as Vanessa
Ian Bonar as MI6 Technician
Gordon Milne as M’s Driver
Peter Basham as Vauxhall Bridge Police Guard
Ben Loyd-Holmes as Vauxhall Bridge Police Guard
Tonia Sotiropoulou as Bond’s Lover
Wolf Blitzer as CNN News Anchor
David Gillies as MI6 Assessor
James Li as MI6 Assessor
Kenneth Hazeldine as MI6 Assessor
Orion Lee as Shanghai Barman
Dave Wong as Shanghai Art Collector
Tank Dong as Severine’s Bodyguard
Roger Yuan as Severine’s Bodyguard
Liang Yang as Severine’s Bodyguard
Yennis Cheung as Floating Dragon Cashier
Directed by Sam Mendes
Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli
Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan
Based on James Bond by Ian Fleming
Cinematography Roger Deakins
Edited by Stuart Baird and Kate Baird
Music by Thomas Newman
Skyfall Theme sung by Adele
Production companies: Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Columbia Pictures
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release dates: 23 October 2012 (London, premiere), 26 October 2012 (UK), 9 November 2012 (USA)
Budget $150–200 million
Box office $1.109 billion