Who is Daisy May Cooper? Has This Country actress been cast as new M in next James Bond film

Daisy May Cooper is reportedly in talks to join the cast of James Bond as spy chief ‘M’.

The actress and writer is best known for her role in the BBC comedy series This Country which she co-created and co-wrote alongside her brother Charlie Cooper. The actress is believed to have caught the eye of production bosses who hope she will bring humour and a unique style to the role.

Over the years the role of M has been played by a number of distinguished actors such as Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes. But who is Daisy May Cooper and is she likely to join the cast of James Bond in the next film? Here is everything you need to know.

Who is Daisy May Cooper?

Daisy May Cooper, 36, is an English actress and writer from Cirencester in Gloucestershire. She later moved to London to study at Rada drama school in London.

Cooper made her acting debut in the ITV series Doc Martin before landing the role of PC Garvey in the TV series The Wrong Mans. Cooper rose to prominence when she launched the British mockumentary sitcom This Country in 2017 which she co-created and co-wrote alongside fellow lead actor Charlie Cooper.

The programme is a comedy which is situated in rural England which explorers the boredom of social isolation of young people in small communities. This Country proved an instant hit with audiences and in 2018 Cooper was awarded a BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance.

The show ran for a total of three series with great success between 2017 and 2020 and established Cooper’s status as a household name. Cooper’s most recent TV appearance came in the fourth series of The Masked Singer when she participated as Otter.

Is Daisy May Cooper married and does she have children?

Daisy Cooper married Will Weston in 2019 but the pair reportedly split during lockdown in 2020, according to The Sun. Their split came ten months after the birth of their second child and the couple have two children, a daughter named Pip and a son named Jack.

Is Daisy May Cooper likely to appear in the new James Bond films?

Daisy May Cooper is in talks to join the cast of James Bond, according to reports. A source told The Sun newspaper that Cooper is a close friend of Phoebe Waller-Bridge who joined the production as a script consultant.

The source said: “Daisy is a close pal of Phoebe, whose involvement in Bond was such as success that it sparked an unlikely conversation. Suddenly the production team were getting excited about the prospect of really taking M in a different direction.

“With Daniel leaving, it seemed the time to start looking at changes across the board and the dynamic between Bond and ‘M’ is at the heart of the films. So this opens the door to it being a bit lighter and more comedic going forwards - and will of course impact the direction the new 007 goes in too.”

Who has previously played the role of ‘M’ in James Bond?

If Daisy May Cooper does land the role of ‘M’ then she will follow in the footsteps of a number of star-studded actors including Judi Dench and most recently Ralph Fiennes.

Here is a list of all the actors to have played M over the years:

• Bernard Lee: 1962-1979
• Robert Brown: 1983-1989
• Judi Dench: 1995-2012
• Ralph Fiennes: 2012-present