The release of Spectre this month once again brings the story of James Bond and one of the longest-running movie franchises to the fore. A key aspect of Bond films, dating back to 1962’s Dr. No, has been the villain that Bond squares off with. A good villain can elevate a Bond movie, making the casting of Bond’s adversary as important as the casting of Bond himself. With Christoph Waltz taking on the role for Spectre, the time has come to look forward to the next Bond installment, and there is already a prime candidate who should get the job; Mark Pellegrino.
Pellegrino has proven himself in a number of complex roles over the years, and is a familiar name to genre fans, having made appearances on Lost and Supernatural one after the other in key roles. He’s also appeared on Revolution, The Tomorrow People, and Quantico, in all of which he’s displayed a strong ability to play powerful individuals whose purpose and morality is ambiguous, making them questionable allies and formidable opponents. Giving him a chance to bring forth a similar character in a Bond film will not only give him a deserved showcase for his skills, but it’ll also allow the film to benefit from the questions brought about by said ambiguity, which many of the shows Pellegrino has been on have benefitted from.
Which is not to say he doesn’t have the capability to play a bombastic villain when the time comes. In his roles, Pellegrino has shown an ability to turn in big performances whenever the time calls for it, which is put on best display in his performance as the lead antagonist in Bad Turn Worse. This also puts him perfectly in line with some of the most memorable Bond villains, who have had to often deliver in more showy moments. No matter what kind of villain Bond thus has to tangle with in his next outing, Pellegrino is more than capable of delivering on in a way that is sure to leave an impression.
Along with Pellegrino’s notable work in television that makes him a solid fit, many of his roles have seen him channel a significant amount of charm that has carried shows and episodes even when the material surrounding him hasn’t been as strong. In addition, Pellegrino has a physicality and a presence on screen that makes him seem bigger than his costars on numerous occasions, a feat he’s sure to pull off playing alongside Craig or any other performer who steps into the role of Bond. All these factors make Pellegrino the perfect choice to play the role of a Bond villain, and hopefully this comes to fruition in the near future.