Villiers is M’s right hand man in 2006 film Casino Royale, taking the place of Bill Tanner. Played by British actress Tobias Menzies, this minor character is the perfect assistant for M, as he plays everything by the book.
Villiers
After Bond’s erratic killing of bomb manufacturer, Mollaka, in Madagascar, M and Villiers attend a government hearing. Afterwards, M says she yearns for the Cold War era, stating that a spy as audacious as Bond “would have the good sense to defect.”
Later, as Bond digs into leads in the Bahamas tied to a corrupt bureaucrat, Alex Dimitrios, Villiers awakens M with a phone call. He informs her of Bond using her MI6 network credentials. Bond does this intentionally, signalling his commanding officer of the network he’s tracing, led by the terrorist financier, Le Chiffre.
Bond’s interference with Dimitrios and Le Chiffre’s schemes unveils a plot to capitalize on the potential collapse of an airline stock. Bond contacts Villiers to update M about this. Conducting a swift inquiry, Villiers verifies the introduction of a prototype aircraft at Miami International, which is where Bond finds the bomber, Claudio.
Villiers heads over to the Bahamas with M to update Bond on the situation, and they discover the wife of Alex Dimitrios – Solange, killed. The sight of her dead body provokes Villiers to avert his gaze, covering his mouth with his hand, and he departs from the scene while M chastises Bond for getting Solange Dimitrios involved.
Tobias Menzies
Tobias Menzies, born in London on March 7th, 1974, is an English actor known for his work on stage, television, and film. Son of a BBC radio producer and a teacher, Menzies graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) with a BA Degree in Acting in 1998, and participated in improv workshops via The Spontaneity Shop.
Menzies’ career kicked off in 1998 with an eleven-episode stint on BBC’s medical drama, Casualty. His portfolio grew to include shows like Foyle’s War, Kingdom, Game of Thrones, and Outlander, where he played dual roles. His portrayal of Prince Philip in Netflix’s The Crown earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Menzies’s film career includes roles in The Low Down, Finding Neverland, Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman, and Casino Royale. He also played the antagonist in Underworld: Blood Wars in 2016.
