Summary
- Daniel Craig retired as 007 at 51, ending his tenure as Britain's most iconic spy.
- The oldest actor to play James Bond was Roger Moore, who played him from ages 45 to 57.
- George Lazenby was the youngest James Bond actor, starting at 29 in his only appearance.
Daniel Craig has retired as 007 after 2021's No Time To Die has released, but here's how old each James Bond actor was when they played the famous super-spy, from who is the youngest James Bond actor to the oldest. Daniel Craig wrapped up his tenure as James Bond with No Time To Die, bowing out of his role as Britain's most iconic spy at 51 years old. All of the actors who have played James Bond have varied in age and overall aesthetic — but they've all kept the James Bond charm.
The oldest actor to play James Bond was Roger Moore, who played 007 from ages 45 to 57. That’s a little older than Bond’s creator Ian Fleming would have liked, as the age of James Bond in the novels put him somewhere in his mid-to-late thirties, with Moonraker specifically placing his age at 37. The ages of the James Bond 007 actors have varied greatly, with some being closer to Fleming's canon James Bond age than others, and the gap between the youngest James Bond actor and oldest being wide.
Sean Connery
32 In First 007 Appearance (Dr. No, 1962), 41 In Last (Diamonds Are Forever, 1971)
Roger Moore's status as the oldest of the 007 actors is well known, but some mistakenly think it's Sean Connery who is the youngest James Bond actor. The first Bond was a relatively youthful 32 when Dr. No released in 1962 (31 during filming), and Connery played the character in 6 films over 9 years. He was 33 for 1963’s Blofeld debut From Russia With Love, 34 by 1964’s Goldfinger, 35 in 1965’s Thunderball, and 37 in 1967’s You Only Live Twice. Connery was 41 when he returned and replaced George Lazenby in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever. While young in his debut, Sean Connery is still only the second-youngest James Bond.
George Lazenby
29 In Only 007 Appearance (On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969)
As for who is the youngest James Bond actor, 007 took a youthful turn on his second incarnation that he's yet to match. Lasting only one outing, George Lazenby’s shorty-lived Bond was also the youngest version of the character, with the actor being a mere 29 in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Roger Moore
45 In First 007 Appearance (Live And Let Die, 1973), 57 In Last (A View To A Kill, 1985)
Roger Moore was 45 when he began playing James Bond in 1973’s Live and Let Die, 46 when he starred in the next year’s The Man With the Golden Gun, 49 by the time 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me rolled around, and 51 by the release of 1979’s James Bond movie, Moonraker. Despite his advancing age, the actor would reprise the role three more times at 53 in 1981’s For Your Eyes Only, 55 in 1983’s Octopussy, and finally, 57 (the oldest James Bond age so far) in 1985’s A View To A Kill.
Timothy Dalton
41 In First 007 Appearance (The Living Daylights, 1987), 41 In Last (License To Kill, 1989)
A comparatively fresh-faced newcomer after the Moore era, Dalton was actually as old as Connery’s final Bond outing by the time he began playing the character. The Hot Fuzz actor was 41 in 1987’s The Living Daylights and only lasted one more outing in the role, retiring his iteration of Bond at the age of 43 in 1989’s License to Kill.