20 Things You Didn’t Know About Moonraker (1979)
16. “No, I’m Just A Humble Pilot In The Service Of The Drax Corporation.”
Moonraker was an Anglo-French co-production due to increased taxation in the UK and Cubby Broccoli’s resistance to filming it in Hollywood. French performers were cast in key roles as a condition of the movie receiving French filming incentives.
Therefore, Drax’s American pilot, Trudi Parker became French beauty, Corinne Dufour (Corinne Cléry) and French actresses (including future Bond Girl, Carole Bouquet) were considered to portray CIA agent, Dr. Holly Goodhead.
Hugo Drax was particularly difficult to cast. The filmmakers had originally considered James Mason and Stewart Granger for the role, but the financial incentives for filming in France led Cubby Broccoli to approach his friend, Louis Jourdan to play Drax. Although Jourdan declined, he later accepted Cubby’s offer to portray Prince Kamal Khan in Octopussy.
The filmmakers then contacted half-British, half-French actor, Michael Lonsdale, who agreed to portray the larger-than-life Drax as such outlandish roles were rare for French actors. He later advised his frequent co-star, Mathieu Amalric to play Dominic Greene in Quantum of Solace (2008) for similar reasons.