Naomie Harris didn't believe No Time to Die ending was real: "I thought, is this a joke?"
Moneypenny's alter ego speaks out on the film's surprising climax.
*This article contains spoilers for No Time to Die*
If you were left stunned by the surprising climax to James Bond's latest outing No Time to Die, then you're not alone – Moneypenny actress Naomie Harris has admitted she couldn't believe what she was reading when she first received the film's script.
Daniel Craig's final film as 007 saw the character go out in a blaze of glory, saving the world one last time but at the cost of his own life.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Harris revealed that she initially wondered if she'd been sent a screenplay with a fake ending.
She explained: "Because there's so much secrecy around all of the Bond movies, I thought, 'Is this a joke? Am I being sent, like, the wrong ending, and then they're gonna send me a new one?'. I really thought that, because I just thought... this doesn't happen. Bond doesn't die. It's sacred that Bond should never die."
More like this
Once she'd come to terms with the tragic twist, however, Harris said she considered it a "fitting end" for Craig's version of the character. "He's just done such an amazing job with this character. It's really quite extraordinary. So it was really, really sad and really emotional. But it also felt like a fitting end as well."
No Time to Die was finally released to cinemas in the UK on 30th September following a series of production delays and further postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Harris believes the film ultimately came out at "the perfect time".
"It was so difficult to get that timing right of when to release this movie – and obviously, it changed several times, and there was a lot of frustration amongst people and some people felt like the date shouldn't have changed and all this kind of thing. But what was so wonderful when this movie was finally released, [was] it was the perfect time, because it really felt like it was the end of the nightmare for everyone. People finally felt safe enough to go back to the cinemas and watch movies where they really deserve to be watched – especially a movie like No Time to Die, it really needs to be seen on the big screen.
"So it felt like that premiere for No Time to Die was such a celebration – not just for us, but for for the country and for the world. You know, it really felt momentous and and huge and I was just so grateful to be part of that."
With the film finally out in the world and shortly to be made available on home media, Harris believes that it's "the sensitivity" which Daniel Craig brought to the role of Bond that will be his lasting legacy.
"He had all the elements of the traditional Bond, but then he had heart as well. He fell in love, and really connected with the women that he had relationships with, and had his heart broken at points as well. I think that humanising of Bond just made him touch our hearts even more."
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
No Time to Die is available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD from 20th December. Visit our Movies hub for more news, interviews and features, or find something to watch with our TV Guide.
This year's Radio Times Christmas double issue is on sale now, featuring two weeks of TV, film and radio listings, reviews, features and interviews with the stars.
