Timothy Dalton became a global icon when he took on the role of James Bond in the late 1980s, having already gained sex symbol status with 1970’s Wuthering Heights. Now 80, Dalton was recently spotted in Los Angeles sporting a fresh look—a striking new mustache—during a rare public outing, showing he’s still as dashing as ever.
Dalton famously portrayed 007 twice, in 1987’s The Living Daylights and 1989’s Licence to Kill, following Roger Moore and preceding Pierce Brosnan. He is one of only seven actors to officially play Bond on the big screen, alongside Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Moore, Brosnan, and Daniel Craig, with David Niven appearing in an unofficial adaptation. While initially criticized for a more serious, gritty take on the spy compared to Moore’s lighter style, Dalton’s portrayal has since been praised for staying true to Ian Fleming’s original novels.
Before Bond, Dalton rose to fame as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights opposite Anna Calder-Marshall and later appeared in films such as The Rocketeer (1991), Hot Fuzz (2007), and voiced Mr. Pricklepants in Toy Story 3 (2010). His recent work includes nine episodes of the Yellowstone prequel 1923, alongside Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. Despite a varied career, Bond remains the role most associated with Dalton.
Dalton has been vocal about the sale of the Bond franchise to Amazon, describing it as “sad” while emphasizing that the next actor portraying 007 should be British. He praised longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson for their stewardship of the series and expressed cautious optimism that Amazon could continue the franchise successfully. Speculation around Daniel Craig’s successor has included names such as Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jacob Elordi, Harris Dickinson, Henry Cavill, and James Nelson-Joyce, while previously considered actors like Tom Hardy and Idris Elba may now be considered too old for the role.
Dalton’s recent appearance and reflections on Bond underscore the enduring legacy of his contribution to the franchise and his lasting status as one of cinema’s most memorable 007s.
