JAMES BOND has been played by various men in very different ways – but one actor was told there was one reason why he could never play the spy.

Actors from around the world have become 007 himself in movies spanning decades.

From Connery to Lazenby, everyone has their favourite James Bond, with Daniel Craig currently wearing the MI5-fashioned suit.

But one actor who was pipped to the post by Craig has spoken out on the sad way he was turned down.

In an interview with Men’s Health late last year, the star spoke about his audition for Casino Royale, which he is believed to have been very close at winning.

Of course, the job went to Daniel Craig in the end, but various reports have named Cavill as a very close alternative choice.

How about: James Bond cast: Shocking reason THIS heartthrob was REJECTED for the part of Bond (Image: Getty/Eon)

In the interview, Cavill described part of the audition where he needed to walk out of a bathroom in just a towel.

When doing this, the response he got was not quite that he would have hoped for.

He said: “I probably could have prepared better.

“I remember the director, Martin Campbell, saying, ‘Looking a little chubby there, Henry.’

Henry Cavill (Image: Getty)

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“I didn’t know how to train or diet. And I’m glad Martin said something, because I respond well to truth. It helps me get better.”

While he may have taken the criticism well, this likely would not have been the case for others, but he has said this has helped him in later roles.

He may have lost out to the lead roles in movies such as Twilight and Tristan and Isolde, but his being cast in movie Immortals helped him to work hard on his look, which then helped him land later roles as Superman and more recently Geralt in The Witcher.

Speaking of Immortals, Cavill added: “It was my first experience working on a movie and having my shirt off for most of the damn time.

Daniel Craig as James Bond (Image: Eon)

On his later characters, he said: “I’m representing important characters here. I don’t want to be a dumpy Geralt or a fat Superman.”

This is not the first time Cavill has spoken about his weight.

In an interview with People magazine, he spoke about being bullied for his weight as a child, and has since spoken at schools about the importance of kindness.

Henry Cavill in The Witcher (Image: Netflix)

He said: “I was teased and it was hard.

“Even though for some it may be malicious, I think it’s just kids being kids, and I don’t hold any grudges. People have had it far worse than me.”

On The Graham Norton Show, Cavill even admitted there was a particularly cruel nickname about him – Fat Cav.

However, he certainly is not that way now, and despite not landing the role as James Bond, he has made a great success of his career.