'It's Been a Fun Ride': Former James Bond Star George Lazenby Retires from Acting

George Lazenby, the actor best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, is taking his final bow.

Lazenby, 84, shared a photo of himself and a statement to Instagram and X on July 24, as he announced that he is retiring from acting in order to spend time with his family after working in film and television for more than five decades.

"This hasn’t been an easy decision but it’s time to announce my retirement from work. Therefore, I won’t be doing any more acting or making public appearances, doing any more interviews or signing any more autographs as of today," Lazenby wrote in a statement.

The actor made his big screen debut as 007 after Sean Connery's run as the iconic British spy character for the series' first five installments. He ultimately only starred in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Connery, who died in 2020 at 90, reprised the role for 1971's Diamonds Are Forever.

"It’s been a fun ride but getting older is no fun. I would like to thank my manager and friend, Anders Frejdh, for helping me since 2013 - the best representative I ever had," Lazenby added in his statement. "I can now concentrate on spending more time with my family. My sincere gratitude to everyone out there for your love and support over the years. It has meant a lot to me. George xx"

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Following his turn as Bond, Lazenby set off on an acting career that has earned him credits in 64 movies and television series, according to his IMDb profile. His best-known movies include 1975's The Man from Hong Kong and 1993 Civil War drama Gettysburg. According to the U.K.'s Daily Express, Lazenby nearly reprised the 007 role for 1983's Never Say Never Again, though Connery ended up reprising the role for the final time in his career. Lazenby most recently appeared in the 2024 film Mundije.

In 2019, Lazenby recalled having "a lot of arrogance" while playing Bond to Sydney Morning Herald, saying that his friend Ronan O'Rahilly advised him not to play the character in further movies through the 1970s because he felt the franchise would lose popularity. As a result, Lazenby struggled to find work in Hollywood for some time.

"Look, for a guy who never acted before I did a pretty s--- job," he told the outlet. "But because of the story and the other people who worked on it, it's probably one of the best Bond movies. And, you know, I did eventually learn how to act."

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