The importance of being Ernst: Spectre's Christoph Waltz denies playing Blofeld
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Version 0 of 1. Two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz has denied suggestions he will play traditional 007 villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in upcoming James Bond film Spectre. Speculation has been rife that Waltz’s character, Franz Oberhauser, will eventually be revealed as the traditional head of the titular evil agency in the 24th official Bond movie. But Waltz told GQ magazine the rumour couldn’t be further from reality. “That is absolutely untrue,” said the Austrian actor, 58. “That rumour started on the internet, and the internet is a pest. The name of my character is Franz Oberhauser.” Waltz also admitted he hesitated before taking on the role, but was eventually swayed by the calibre of cast members and film-makers working on Spectre. The new film is directed by Oscar-winner Sam Mendes, who returns after the $1bn success of Skyfall, and stars Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Monica Bellucci, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris. “I did, yes. I always hesitate,” said Waltz. “You ask yourself, hang on: what James Bond are we talking about? The thing about Spectre is that it is not the work of hack writers. It does not have a hack director. The actors are not hams. The action sequences in Mexico are extravagant to say the least. The scenes in Austria are traditional Bond action in the snow. These films with Daniel Craig have shifted the tone. They don’t depend on a set formula that forces actors simply to go through the motions.” Added Waltz: “A James Bond film can be artistically fulfilling. Absolutely it can. It can be complex and it can be interesting. I consider Bond movies to be an extension of popular theatre, a kind of modern mythology. You see the same sort of action in Punch and Judy, or in the folk theatre of various cultures, like Grand Guignol.” Speculation over Blofeld’s return has been sparked partly by the new film’s title, and partly by production company Eon’s settlement in November 2013 of a long-running legal case with the estate of Blofeld co-creator Kevin McClory which allows the character to be used on screen once again in the official Bond series of films. Blofeld is perhaps the best known, and certainly the most ubiquitous Bond villain, variously portrayed on the big screen by Donald Pleasence, Charles Gray, Telly Savalas and Max von Sydow, as well as inspiring the character of Dr Evil in Mike Myers’ Austin Powers films. He was last seen in the official Bond series being dropped down a chimney by Roger Moore’s Bond in a pre-credits scene for 1981’s For Your Eyes Only, though was uncredited due to the ongoing rights dispute. Blofeld also later appeared in the guise of Von Sydow in the McClory-produced non-Eon 1983 film Never Say Never Again. |