Burt Reynolds had many classic roles, from Bo “The Bandit” Darville in “Smokey and the Bandit” to Lewis Medlock in “Deliverance.” Prior to both of those examples, however, the actor had a chance to take on what would have surely been the most well-known role of his career when he was offered the chance to lead the James Bond franchise. Why would he turn it down? Well, it was for the simple reason he felt the character had to be played by a Brit. Still, during multiple interviews in the years since, Reynolds said he felt “stupid” for saying “no” to Bond.
For as many great roles as he had, the late star also made a fair few missteps during his career. He had Clint Eastwood to blame for his worst Western, “Navajo Joe,” wherein he portrayed the titular Navajo man in what was, at the very least, a dodgy bit of casting. Elsewhere, even Reynolds regretted his gangster movie flop, “City Heat,” which also starred Eastwood. Come to think of it, I’m not sure the pair’s friendship was all that helpful for Reynolds, who, while he remains a legend in his own right, ultimately failed to gain the same kind of respect as his peer.
Even with those blunders in mind, you could argue that Reynolds, who passed away in 2018, made his biggest mistake by turning down the role of James Bond. Not that playing England’s greatest spy would have earned him the same kind of esteem as Eastwood, but it would have given him a major boost at a time before he’d fully broken through as a movie star.
