Michael Jackson was convinced he had everything needed to play James Bond role

Forget Moonraker, if this candidate for James Bond had landed the role, he would have been moonwalking after the villains.

According to a fascinating new book, The Search For Bond by Robert Sellers, King of Pop Michael Jackson believed he should be a serious contender to play the ultimate British spy. He might not have had Sean Connery’s rugged sex appeal, or Roger Moore’s suave sophistication, but he certainly had 007’s confidence.

Already famous for hits like Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Jacko also felt he had earned his acting stripes, after the release of the film The Wiz in 1978. The reworking of the celebrated Judy Garland movie The Wizard of Oz had seen him star opposite fellow Motown legend Diana Ross.

And while he lacked the physique of later Bonds like Daniel Craig - remember his toned physique in his swimming trunks in Casino Royale - Jacko saw no obstacles. Small and skinny he might be but, as far as he was concerned, he had everything 007 needed, according to his agent of the time Michael Ovitz.

But the Thriller singer chose a rather unfortunate moment to introduce the subject, according to Robert Sellers, who referred to Ovitz’s memoirs in his book. Sellers wrote: “He (Ovitz) recalled a meeting that was held at Jackson’s home where the singer announced his intention to star in an action movie.

“Unfortunately, as Jackson began talking his hat fell into a bowl of guacamole on the table in front of him. Undeterred, Jackson placed the hat back on his head, only a large blob of guacamole remained on the brim.

“With Ovitz was fellow agent Ron Meyer who nudged his colleague and the two men watched as the guacamole blob slid down the brim until it eventually fell off. Meyer burst out laughing. Unable to control himself, Ovitz followed suit.”

Jackson stormed out of the room, followed by Ovitz, who tried to calm him down - explaining that they had been laughing at the blob of guacamole and not at him. When Michael’s tantrum was over, Sellers continued: “Finally, Michael’s face cleared, ‘Okay, Ovitz. Okay.’ He said. ‘But I want to play James Bond’.”

This time, his agent didn’t laugh. Instead he nodded, acting as if he was really considering it. Sellers reported that Ovitz then said: “You’re thinly built. You’re too sensitive. You won’t be credible as a brutal block of stone. You’d be great at it, of course, but it’d be bad for you.”

Very politely, Ovitz had told his client to Beat It!

• The Search For Bond: How the 007 Role was Won and Lost by Robert Sellers, is out on October 17 published by