20 Things You Didn't Know About SPECTRE (2015)

10. Second Time Around

Spectre Drill Torture
MGM/Columbia Pictures

SPECTRE was not Monica Bellucci’s first brush with Double-0 Seven: she originally screen-tested for the tragic role of Paris Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) at the suggestion of Pierce Brosnan, who recognised her as a rising film star.

MGM wanted to cast a more familiar actress as Michelle Yeoh, who portrayed Colonel Wai Lin, was better known in Hong Kong at that time, so Teri Hatcher, famous for playing Lois Lane in The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997), featured as Paris instead.

Nevertheless, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson tried to cast the Italian actress in subsequent Bond films with no success; they were delighted to finally secure her as Lucia Sciarra in SPECTRE.

Monica Bellucci was 50 years old during filming, becoming the most senior actress to play a Bond Girl and winning the admiration of Daniel Craig, who suggested that he would like to work alongside her in another instalment in the franchise.

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.