Sean Connery made his name as secret agent, James Bond. Fifty years later, a dozen actors have played the suave 007. And now, the search is on for number thirteen.
Stars get swapped out like interchangeable parts. And fans don’t seem to mind.
Look how many actors have squeezed into Batman’s tights. NBC shuddered when Johnny Carson The Tonight Show…until Jay Leno pumped new life into it. As music junkies know, Sammy Hagar grabbed the mic from David Lee Roth at the height of Van Halen’s fame. Proving that everyone is replaceable.
Well, almost everyone.
Sometimes, one actor embodies a role so perfectly, they become iconic. Only William Shatner could play Captain Kirk. Harrison Ford owned the role of Han Solo. Jerry Seinfeld was perfect as, uhh, Seinfeld. Sly Stallone could fight Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Rocky XXXVI and still sell tickets.
But those are the unicorns, reserved for a lucky few.
Most mortals require constant reinvention. And that usually means passing the baton to someone younger and cooler. Saturday Night Live is probably the best example. They intentionally recruit new comics, knowing they’ll move on. Nobody gets a lifetime pass. In fact, SNL relies on rotating performers to inject freshness.
Here’s My Take. Maybe there’s a life lesson here. Careers don’t last a lifetime and standing pat isn’t an option. So, it’s time to sharpen your skills – or fall behind.
Don’t settle for scrambling back to what you did before the pandemic. Rather, be brave enough to suck at something new. Aim to return better than you left. Be proactive and focused on the horizon.
Diamonds aren’t forever. Coal jobs aren’t forever. Only change is constant.
