It’s a very special day for SirSean Connerytoday, as the legendary actor is now 90 years old. An award-winning performer with a tremendous list of accolades, Connery is certainly among the most popular actors of all time. Though he has since retired, fans continue to celebrate the many memorable roles of the accomplished actor, from his iconic run as the first James Bond to the big game hunter Allan Quatermain inThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
For those who have followed his career, it could be incredibly difficult topick a favorite Sean Connery role. He won his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role inThe Untouchablesas Jimmy Malone, making that one a particular fan favorite. Some of his other most iconic roles include playing Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez inHighlander, Captain Marko Aleksandrovich Ramius inThe Hunt for Red October, King Arthur inFirst Knight, and as Henry Jones Sr., Indy’s dad, inIndiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Obviously, playingJames Bondwill always be one of Connery’s biggest accomplishments as well. Just recently, Connery was able to once again prove just how popular his version ofAgent 007remains with fans of the famous fictional spy. A new poll quizzing fans on their favorite James Bond resulted in Connery comfortably taking the top spot with 44 percent of the vote, besting runner-up Timothy Dalton at 32 percent. The role will be recast once again following Daniel Craig’s final Bond performance inNo Time to Die, but chances are Connery will always remain the all-time greatest 007.
Connery’s last major role came in 2003’sThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a superhero movie also executive produced by the late actor. In the movie, Connery stars as the skilled adventurer Allan Quatermain, a man recruited to lead a group of heroes to prevent a potential world war. Unfortunately, Connery had a less than stellar experience shooting the movie, which led to his decision to permanently retire from acting. “It was a nightmare. The experience had a great influence on me, it made me think about showbiz. I get fed up dealing with idiots,” Connery said of the production.
In 2012, Connery briefly stepped out of retirement to voice the lead character in the animated Scottish comedySir Billi. As Scotland’s first CGI animated movie, it was only appropriate for one of the most famous Scottish actors to voice the lead role, even if it meant coming out of retirement. The movie saw Connery voicing an elderly skateboarding veterinarian who tries to protect a fugitive beaver. That same year, he also narrated the documentaryEver to Excel, and he has since gone back to enjoying his retirement in the years since.
Online, fans of Connery are also celebrating the occasion by posting messages of tribute to the iconic actor for his 90th birthday. Happy birthday, Sean Connery! Here’s to another ten years, and let’s see to it that your 100th is extra special. You can take a look at some of today’s online fan tributes to Connery below.
