No Time To Die director claims Sean Connery’s James Bond was ‘basically’ a rapist

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No Time To Die’s director Cary Fukunaga has revealed his take on Sean Connery’s James Bond, claiming that he was “basically” a rapist.

Referring to a scene from the 1965 film Thunderball, Fukunaga told The Hollywood Reporter that he believes Connery’s character “basically rapes a woman” there.

In the scene in question, Bond meets Patricia Fearing, a nurse played by Molly Peters, at the Shrublands health farm.

When he tries to woo Patricia, she rejects his advances and pushes him away but the spy forcibly kisses her by brutally pulling her lips to his.

“She’s like ‘No, no, no,’ and he’s like, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’ That wouldn’t fly today,” said the new 007 director.

Connery was the first actor to portray James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. He died in 2020.

During a promotional interview for No Time To Die, which has its world premiere next week, THR also spoke to producer Barbara Broccoli about how the portrayal of Bond’s character has changed over the years.

“I think people are coming around – with some kicking and screaming – to accepting that stuff is no longer acceptable. Thank goodness,” said Broccoli.

“Bond is a character who was written in 1952 and the first film came out in 1962,” she said. “He’s got a long history, and the history of the past is very different to the way he is being portrayed now.”

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Fukunaga added that Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond in No Time To Die would have a more respectful view of women.

“You can’t change Bond overnight into a different person. But you can definitely change the world around him,” said the director, who previously worked on the critically acclaimed first season of True Detective.

No Time To Die will be released on 30 September.

If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here.