No Time to Die spoilers follow.
No Time to Die featured many twists and turns for James Bond, one of the biggest (alongside that one) being the betrayal of a supposed ally.
In the latest 007 outing, the spy is brought back in from the cold by the CIA's Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) and Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen) as they plan to retrieve missing scientist Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik).
However, once Bond successfully brings Obruchev in, Ash is revealed to be a double agent working for big bad Safin (Rami Malek), turning on Leiter and killing him before escaping with the scientist – though Bond manages to make it out alive.
Related: Why No Time to Die's use of scars to identify its villain is worse than you think
Opening up to The Hollywood Reporter about Ash's villainous turn, Magnussen suggested that the character's true intentions were hinted at from his first appearance, noting his paranoia as he meets Bond with Leiter.
"It was about the juxtaposition of the characters," he explained. "You have Bond, who's smooth, coy and comfortable everywhere he goes, in a sense.
"And then I tried to play the opposite of that: a guy who is in this world but is a little vanilla and hesitant. He doesn't have his footing yet, but it also distracts from what the character's real intentions are."
He said of Ash's tendency to smile: "It's more that there's this dark world around him, and he is getting his plan to work. He's excited. He drank Safin's Kool-Aid, so he's all about pushing his agenda forward."
Magnussen went on to admit that he wasn't worried about fans heckling him on the street for killing beloved character Leiter.
"I love it, man," he said. "Again, you're a character in a piece, and if you're doing your part well, the hope is that it impacts people and affects people.
Related: No Time to Die ending explained: How Daniel Craig exits as James Bond
"We're just telling a story and it's all play. I love it."
No Time to Die was released in the UK nearly two weeks ago, and has since taken over $314 million at the worldwide box office. The movie has also garnered acclaim from critics.
No Time to Die is out now in UK and US cinemas. All the previous Bond movies are available on DVD or Blu-ray.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment The James Bond Collection 1-24 Blu-ray 2017
Titan Books (UK) No Time To Die: The Making of the Film by Mark Salisbury
MGM Skyfall
Lego James Bond™ Aston Martin DB5
MGM Casino Royale
MGM Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007
MGM Spectre
Orion Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz (with original material by Ian Fleming)
MGM/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment James Bond - The Daniel Craig Collection 4-Pack DVD
Winning Moves James Bond Trivial Pursuit - 007 Edition
MGM/20th Century Fox Home Entertainment James Bond - The Daniel Craig Collection 4K UHD + BD Blu-ray 2019
Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
