Gary Oldman, who portrayed the iconic spymaster George Smiley in the 2011 film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, has been blocked from reprising the role in a planned sequel, according to his manager. Oldman's performance in the Cold War-era spy film, based on John le Carré's 1974 novel, earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards.
Douglas Urbanski, Oldman's manager, revealed to the Radio Times that preparations were underway for a sequel based on le Carré's novel Smiley’s People when an unexpected rights issue arose. Urbanski stated, “We’ve reached out, including again recently, to le Carré’s sons and — the damnedest thing — they have no interest in Gary playing Smiley again. I don’t know why.”
The sons of John le Carré, Simon and Nick Cornwell, who manage their father's estate, have not publicly commented on the matter. Nick Cornwell, who writes under the pen name Nick Harkaway, has a personal connection to the character and is set to release a new novel titled Karla’s Choice in October, which continues the story of George Smiley.
John le Carré, who passed away in December 2020 at the age of 89, praised Oldman’s portrayal of Smiley in the 2011 film, calling it “a beautiful performance” and expressing admiration for the actor's work. Despite the praise from le Carré himself, it remains unclear why his sons have reportedly prevented Oldman from returning to the role.
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