In the years since Ian Fleming created the character of James Bond, there have been many enduring characters that have become part of movie history and known to people that are not even fans of the long-running series. Obviously, the characters that work for the side of Good have more opportunities to repeat themselves than those that work for SPECTRE, the KGB, or any of the criminal organizations involved in the plots.
This list includes five of the greatest modern James Bond characters.
Vote Now: Who Is Your Favorite Actor of All Time?
James Bond
With six actors playing the lead role, not counting David Niven, who played James Bond in the non-canon film, “Casino Royale,” there are very few people that have not heard of the James Bond. There can be no list of the greatest James Bond characters without including the character that made it all possible.
In a poll by The Guardian done in 2012, Sean Connery was voted the best Bond, receiving almost half of the votes. The remaining votes in order of popularity were cast for Daniel Craig, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton, and George Lazenby, who received only three percent of the votes.
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Ernst Stavro Blofeld was in several of the films,
starting with “From Russia with Love,” which was an uncredited role for him, as reported by Behind the Voice Actors. The character then reappeared in the next three movies. His last appearance in the movie was implied. Many people who saw “For Your Eyes Only” believe that the villain in the wheelchair, holding the cat is meant to be Blofeld.
That was his last movie appearance, as Roger Moore’s Bond dropped him down a factory smokestack. Not to be gone for good, Mike Myers imitated the character in the Austin Powers movies. The continuing nature of Blofeld warrants him to be included as one of the greatest modern James Bond characters of all time.
Felix Leither
Another recurring character that was portrayed by multiple actors was that of CIA agent Felix Leiter. First Jack Lord played him in “Dr. No.” A strong supporting character, Leiter frequently supported Bond against his enemies. Prior to being rebooted, his character was maimed in “License to Kill” when he was fed to a shark.
Vote Now: Which of These Actors Stands the Test of Time?
Jaws
Another villainous character from the Bond franchise that has survived beyond his screen time is Jaws, the role made famous by Richard Kiel. Despite his other acting roles, it was the villain, Jaws, that came do define Kiel. He was only in two Bond movies, “The Spy Who Loved Me,” and “Moonraker,” but he made a lasting impression on fans.
Fox News reported in a story about his death last year that he once admitted that, "To this day, I go out in sunglasses and a hat because people will shout 'Hey, Jaws!' at me from across the street."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.