Jack Lowden, the 36 year old Scottish actor best known for playing River Cartwright in the Apple TV+ spy thriller Slow Horses and for his role as a Royal Air Force pilot in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk (2017), has become one of the most discussed names in the search for the next James Bond. That conversation intensified significantly on September 6, 2026, when his Slow Horses co-star Gary Oldman told Canada’s The Morning Show that the next Bond has already been selected by Amazon MGM Studios, and that he has his “fingers crossed” it is Lowden.
Oldman’s comments immediately raised the question of whether the Oscar winner was speaking from inside knowledge or personal preference. Amazon MGM Studios has not confirmed the casting. This article covers who Jack Lowden is, his acting career, his estimated net worth, his marriage to actress Saoirse Ronan, what Oldman actually said, and where Lowden fits among the other actors reportedly in the running for the role.
What Gary Oldman Said About the James Bond Casting
In an interview with Canada’s The Morning Show while promoting the latest season of Slow Horses, Oldman made a statement that cut through years of 007 speculation. He said: “It’s been rumored that [Lowden] is on the shortlist. We’re going to find out pretty soon, aren’t we? Because they have picked him. They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack.”
The phrasing was ambiguous enough to generate debate across entertainment media. Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline all picked up the comments. The key question is whether Oldman’s use of “they have picked him” referred specifically to Lowden, meaning Oldman was disclosing the outcome, or whether he was speaking generally about the casting process having concluded, with his support for Lowden being separate personal commentary.
Neither Amazon MGM Studios nor the Bond production team has confirmed or denied Oldman’s claim. Both The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline noted they had reached out for comment without receiving a response.
Adding a layer to the conversation, author and producer Richard Osman had previously said that Lowden was being “strongly considered” for the role, lending additional weight to Lowden’s candidacy beyond Oldman’s comments alone.
Who Is Jack Lowden: Background and Early Career
Jack Andrew Lowden was born on June 2, 1990, in Chelmsford, Essex, England, but grew up in Oxton in the Scottish Borders. He trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in Glasgow, graduating in 2011.
His career began on stage rather than on screen. He performed with both the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and his early theater work quickly drew critical attention. In 2012, he played Eric Liddell in the stage adaptation of Chariots of Fire in London. In 2014, at age 23, he won an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Ian Charleson Award for his portrayal of Oswald in Richard Eyre’s production of Ibsen’s Ghosts. The Charleson Award is given to the best classical theater performance by an actor under 30, and winning it placed Lowden among a group of British actors whose theater credentials signaled serious long-term potential.
Fact Box: Jack Lowden at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jack Andrew Lowden |
| Born | June 2, 1990 |
| Age | 36 |
| Birthplace | Chelmsford, Essex, England; raised in Oxton, Scottish Borders |
| Training | Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (BA) |
| Spouse | Saoirse Ronan (married 2024) |
| Children | 1 |
| Key awards | Olivier Award (2014), Ian Charleson Award (2014) |
Key Film and Television Roles
Lowden’s transition from stage to screen began in earnest in 2016 and has accelerated since.
| Year | Title | Role | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | War and Peace (BBC) | Nikolai Rostov | Television |
| 2016 | The Crown | Young Prince Charles | Television (guest) |
| 2016 | Tommy’s Honour | Young Tom Morris | Film |
| 2017 | England Is Mine | Morrissey | Film |
| 2017 | Dunkirk | RAF pilot Collins | Film |
| 2018 | Calibre | Marcus | Film |
| 2018 | Mary Queen of Scots | Lord Darnley | Film |
| 2019 | Fighting with My Family | Zak “Zodiac” Knight | Film |
| 2020 | Small Axe | Ian MacDonald | Television |
| 2021 | Benediction | Siegfried Sassoon | Film |
| 2022 to present | Slow Horses | River Cartwright | Television |
| 2023 | The Gold | Kenny Noye | Television |
| 2025 | Tornado | Little Sugar | Film |
Two roles stand out as particularly relevant to the Bond conversation. In Dunkirk, Lowden played a Spitfire pilot in a largely wordless performance that demonstrated physical screen presence and the ability to carry tension without dialogue. In Slow Horses, he plays a young MI5 intelligence officer across multiple seasons, a role that has given him sustained experience playing a character in exactly the kind of espionage world that Bond inhabits.
His Slow Horses performance has earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe nomination.
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Jack Lowden’s Estimated Net Worth
Lowden’s exact net worth is not publicly disclosed. Estimates from entertainment media outlets range from approximately $2 million to $5 million as of 2026, depending on the source. The variation reflects the difficulty of estimating income for a working actor whose compensation varies significantly from project to project and who has not disclosed his salary publicly.
His primary income sources are acting fees from film and television roles, with Slow Horses as his most consistent ongoing project. He has also been connected to endorsement work with brands including Burberry and Jaeger-LeCoultre, though the financial terms of those partnerships have not been reported.
If Lowden were cast as James Bond, his financial profile would change substantially. Daniel Craig’s reported earnings from the Bond franchise exceeded $100 million across his tenure, including both film salaries and associated deals, though exact figures for a new actor in the role would depend on the contract structure.
Jack Lowden and Saoirse Ronan: Marriage and Family
Lowden married Irish-American actress Saoirse Ronan in 2024. Ronan, a four-time Academy Award nominee known for her roles in Lady Bird, Little Women, Brooklyn, and Atonement, is one of the most recognized actresses of her generation. The couple have one child together.
Their relationship became public around 2018, when they were photographed together in Edinburgh. They had met through industry circles and kept the relationship relatively private throughout their courtship.
In a detail that added fuel to the Bond conversation, Ronan told Empire magazine in August 2026 that she was “dead serious” about wanting to play a Bond villain. She said she thought it would be “really interesting” to have a young female villain in a Bond film, especially for women and girls to see “someone who can just take all that pent-up anger and direct it somewhere.”
The Broader James Bond Casting Race
Lowden is not the only actor whose name has been attached to Bond 26. Deadline reported over the summer of 2026 that auditions were taking place in August, with producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman, along with director Denis Villeneuve, involved in the process. Denis Villeneuve is set to direct, with Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight writing the screenplay.
Reported Bond 26 Shortlist (as of September 2026)
| Actor | Known For | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Lowden | Slow Horses, Dunkirk | Endorsed by Gary Oldman; reportedly “strongly considered” per Richard Osman |
| Harris Dickinson | Triangle of Sadness, Babygirl | Reported by Deadline as fitting producers’ vision |
| Callum Turner | Masters of the Air, Fantastic Beasts | Reported by Deadline as fitting producers’ vision |
| Jacob Elordi | Euphoria, Saltburn, The Narrow Road to the Deep North | Rumored offer per DeuxMoi; unconfirmed |
No official announcement has been made by Amazon MGM Studios. The next Bond film is expected to go into production in 2027.
Why Lowden Fits the Bond Profile
Several factors make Lowden a plausible candidate for the role, based on what is publicly known about the direction producers are taking.
- Age: At 36, Lowden is young enough to anchor a multi-film franchise over 10 to 15 years, which is the standard Bond tenure.
- Espionage experience: Four seasons of playing an MI5 officer on Slow Horses means Lowden arrives with built-in credibility in the spy genre, unlike some candidates who would be entering the world entirely fresh.
- Theater training: Bond actors historically come from strong theater backgrounds. Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Daniel Craig all had significant stage experience before or alongside their Bond work. Lowden’s Olivier Award places him firmly in that tradition.
- Physical presence: At roughly 6 feet tall and with the kind of lean, athletic build the franchise typically favors, Lowden’s physicality fits the role without requiring the extreme transformation that some actors need.
- Nationality: Lowden is Scottish, the same nationality as the original Bond actor, Sean Connery, and matching Ian Fleming’s description of Bond as having Scottish ancestry.
Timeline: Key Moments in the Bond 26 Search
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 2022 | Daniel Craig’s final Bond film, No Time to Die (2021), concludes his tenure |
| 2022 to 2025 | Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson publicly state the search for the next Bond is ongoing |
| Summer 2026 | Deadline reports that auditions are taking place; Denis Villeneuve confirmed as director; Steven Knight as screenwriter |
| August 2026 | Richard Osman says Lowden is being “strongly considered” |
| August 2026 | Saoirse Ronan tells Empire she is “dead serious” about playing a Bond villain |
| September 6, 2026 | Gary Oldman says the casting choice has been made and endorses Lowden |
| September 2026 | Amazon MGM Studios does not confirm or deny the casting |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jack Lowden the next James Bond?
No official announcement has been made. Gary Oldman said on September 6, 2026, that the next Bond has been selected and that he hopes it is his Slow Horses co-star Lowden. Amazon MGM Studios has not confirmed or denied this.
What did Gary Oldman say about Jack Lowden and Bond?
Oldman said: “They have made their choice, but they have not announced it yet. So my fingers are crossed for Jack.”
What is Jack Lowden’s net worth?
Estimates range from approximately $2 million to $5 million as of 2026, based on his acting career and endorsement work.
Who is Jack Lowden married to?
He married actress Saoirse Ronan in 2024. They have one child.
What is Jack Lowden best known for?
He is best known for playing River Cartwright in the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses and for his role as an RAF pilot in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk (2017).
Who else is being considered for James Bond?
Deadline reported that Harris Dickinson, Callum Turner, and Jacob Elordi fit the vision producers have for the role. No official shortlist has been publicly confirmed.
Who is directing the next James Bond film?
Denis Villeneuve is set to direct Bond 26, with a screenplay by Steven Knight.
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Last Updated on September 8, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
