For some James Bond fans, Aaron Taylor-Johnson might not be the obvious choice to take over from beloved 007 Daniel Craig.
However, the 33-year-old heartthrob has slowly made his way up in Hollywood from humble beginnings in Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging to action blockbuster Bullet Train.
He now boasts an impressive net worth of $20 million (£15.7 million) when combined with that of his director wife, Sam Taylor-Johnson.
Speculation over who could possibly be the next Bond has raged since the Knives Out star announced 2021’s No Time To Die would be his final film in the franchise.
The role has been held by the likes of Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Sir Rodger Moore, but the 56-year-old’s modern stint has been incredibly popular.
The choice to take over the role has been a heated one, with big names like Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, Regé-Jean Page, and James Norton all mentioned in the running.
Opinions have been divided on whether he is ‘Bond enough’ for the job, with TV’s Lorraine Kelly voicing that she was unconvinced during her show.
Others, notably a Gen-Z and Millenial audience, have been praising the decision with the star long named as bookies’ favourites to be picked for the prestigious role.
What movies has Aaron Taylor Johnson been in?
At just six years old, Aaron made his stage debut in Macbeth before taking on numerous smaller TV roles, including The Bill.
He got his first film break in 2003, aged 13 as young Charlie Chaplin in the comedy movie Shanghai Knights alongside Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson.
Most Brits in their 20s and 30s will remember the coming-of-age classic that is 2008’s Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging, directed by Gurinder Chadha.
Set in ‘god’s waiting room’ Eastbourne, the book adaptation stars Georgia Groome as protagonist Georgia navigates crushes, body changes, and learning how to snog.
A then 17-year-old Aaron stole the show and cemented himself as a crush-worthy star as bass-playing, cat-adoring, love interest Robbie.
From here, his career exploded as he was cast as a young John Lennon in Nowhere Boy – directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson – before taking an action turn as Kick-Ass’s leading man.
This is where he began to shed his boy-next-door vibe for a full-blown superhero, starring in both comic-book adaptations as well as Marvel’s Age of Ultron as Quicksilver.
He also appeared in Anna Karenina, Outlaw King, The Wall, and Nocturnal Animals for which he won a Golden Globe award and Bafta nomination.
Aaron landed more prestige roles, including Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, David Leitch’s Bullet Train, and Robert Egger’s Nosferatu.
He is set to return to the Marvel wider universe as Kraven the Hunter later this year, with fans going wild for the topless teaser pictures.
Who is Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s wife?
In 2009, on the set of Nowhere Boy, an 18-year-old Aaron met director and filmmaker Sam, then 42, and the pair began dating to the shock of fans.
The Fifty Shades of Grey director had been married to art dealer Jay Jopling for 11 years, sharing two daughters; born in April 1997 and 2005, respectively.
The year before she and Aaron went public, Sam split with her husband with the announcement stating ‘they have agreed amicably to separate’ and ‘No other parties are involved.’
At Nowhere Boy’s October 2009 premiere, the new couple went public and announced they were engaged, marrying in Somerset three years later.
At the time, Aaron defended their large 24-year age gap and told The Sunday Independent: ‘I’m an old soul and she’s a young soul.’
Not shying away from the public’s eye, the pair are incredibly PDA-happy at premieres and other events as well as Sam getting his name tattooed on her.
In 2017, Sam told the Hollywood Reporter: ‘If I gave a second thought to other people, I would be the unhappiest person, probably still in a miserable marriage. People like to talk about it.
‘I’m like, “Yeah, but it works better than my last marriage”. It’s lasted longer than a lot of my friends’ marriages.’
They’ve kept fairly tight-lipped about their relationship in more recent years but Aaron told The Telegraph in 2019 he ‘knew instantly’ she was his ‘soulmate’.
Touching on the negative reaction to their age difference, the star added: ‘All that is my personal life, it’s sacred to me and it’s beautiful. But there is a lot of negativity around from other people.
‘That’s their problem and their issues and however they perceive life. I live my life to its fullest and I operate from my instincts and from my heart and I try to be as open as possible.’
Does Aaron Taylor-Johnson have children?
Along with becoming a step-father at 18 to Sam’s two kids, it was quickly announced that the couple was expecting their own child together.
Their first daughter Wylda Rae, 13, was born in July 2010 after the pair announced they were expecting in May, months after hard-launching the romance.
The next year, Sam gets presented with her OBE and is rocking a staggeringly large baby bump, revealing they were once again expecting.
In January 2012, a statement was released announcing the birth of baby number two named Romy Hero, 11, adding that both mum and baby were doing well.
It’s thought the family have settled down in Somerset in a quiet home they purchased in 2010 for around $2million (£1.85million).
Before this, they resided in a luxurious Hollywood Hills mansion, which was purchased in 2013 for $4.4million (£3.1million) where they are thought to stay when shooting in the States.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : ‘New James Bond’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson sends fans to 00-heaven with new shirtless campaign
MORE : James Bond favourite Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays coy as he addresses rumours he’s the next 007
