Theo James rules himself out as James Bond: 'I'm too old'

Theo James has taken himself out of the running for James Bond.

The White Lotus actor is one of the current favourites for the coveted role alongside Jack Lowden, Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jacob Elordi and Louis Partridge, among others.

However, the 41-year-old has now removed himself from the race, insisting to GQ that he is "too old" to play the British spy, even though Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton were all in their forties when they were cast as Bond.

James also shared another reason why he doesn't want the coveted part, adding, "That would be an example of a place you could never come back from."

Earlier in the interview, The Gentleman star recalled how he retreated from the spotlight because he couldn't stand the attention he received after reaching a new level of fame with the Divergent film series in 2014.

As a result, he now takes on smaller projects because he fears losing full anonymity.

"Imagine, suddenly, you and I cannot walk down the street. What that does to your children, who are trying to find themselves in the midst of hyper-scrutiny and fame. None of that, to me, is worth it," the father of two said. "At the time, it's very intoxicating, being offered some huge, sexy part that would change your life forever. But it really wouldn't ultimately be worth it."

According to Bond producer Amy Pascal, the latest Bond will most likely be unveiled by the end of the year, and he would be "really different" from his predecessor, Daniel Craig.

Earlier this month, TV personality Richard Osman claimed that Slow Horses star Lowden was "being strongly considered" for the role.

The next Bond film will be directed by Dune's Denis Villeneuve from a script by Steven Knight.