Isaac Rouse has revealed that the iteration of James Bond he’s playing in the new Young Bond audio drama, SilverFin, is "vulnerable in ways he hasn’t been before".
The audio drama, which is available now from Big Finish, is based on the first novel in Charlie Higson’s Young Bond book series and follows the future 007 as a 13-year-old schoolboy at Eton, uncovering a mystery during a holiday in Scotland.
Speaking exclusively to Radio Times, Rouse opened up about playing a younger version of the famous spy usually known for his bravery and tenacity.
"That is part of the unique joy of this story, that we get an opportunity to take Bond to a more vulnerable place where he is a boy," Rouse explained. "And he’s not yet got the imperviousness, nor is the ever-calculating ruthless killer we are accustomed to. There’s still a boyish curiosity to him and a naivety.
"There is still an edge to him. There is a real grit and an ability to punch up and to not take no for an answer. That’s in his soul, this unwillingness to yield.
"The greater character of him is formed as a result of the experiences he goes through between this story and Ian Fleming’s Casino Royal so it was a really interesting time.
"And what is particularly unique about this story, is that this is a Bond you can empathise with in a new way, because he’s vulnerable in ways he hasn’t been before."
Alongside Rouse, the audio adaptation stars Charlotte McBurney as Wilder Lawless, as well as author Higson himself as Michael Merriot, the Eton classics tutor who becomes a mentor figure to the teenage Bond.
Big Finish first announced that a Young Bond series was coming our way earlier this year.
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Supervising producer Lizzie Worsdell previously said that it felt "incredibly exciting" to bring the stories to life as full-cast audio dramas, saying Higson's books were a "brilliant foundation".
On casting the author as Merriot, she said: "When reading the script, it became impossible not to hear Charlie’s voice when reading Merriot’s dialogue. He brings exactly the warmth, intelligence and kindness the character needs, so he always felt like the perfect fit."
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Young Bond: SilverFin is available now from Big Finish.
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