John Cleese talks about his role as Q

23-Jul-2004 • Actor News

Former Monty Python member John Cleese recently took a working vacation in the Czech Republic that brought him to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, reports the Prague Post.

There he spoke about his recent film roles, especially taking over as Q in the James Bond series.

"I could never understand why they passed me over for [the lead role of James] Bond, but they did," he said. "Movie after movie they came up with old grandfathers like Roger Moore when they wanted people who were dynamic and sexy like me." He thought of trying to become a Bond villain, but the villains never last more than one movie. "So when they said, 'Would you like to be Q's assistant R?' I couldn't have been more pleased."

The offer came because Cleese's current wife is friends with the producers of the Bond series. He played Q's assistant in The World Is Not Enough. "We agreed [Desmond Llewelyn] would go on being Q until he was 100, at which point I would be 80." Then Llewelyn, who had played the gadget master Q since 1963, died in a car accident. Cleese took over the role of Q for the next film, Die Another Day, and will be in the as-yet-untitled 21st Bond film.

He helps to write his own part. "They are very, very happy to let me play a bit with the script," he said. "So that and Shrek are about two of the best jobs you could have."

While Cleese admits not being on the cutting edge of technology, he is about to launch a Web site, www.thejohncleese.com. "I am going to put sketches and funny material and information and in particular vicious gossip about my show-business friends that hasn't appeared in the British press," he said. The studio, equipped with a small Sony camera, will be in the barn at his ranch. "I seriously want to see if I can operate this Web site like a tiny, tiny little television station."

Thanks to `Goldeneye` for the alert.