Screen legend Dick Van Dyke said he was offered a potential career-changing role in one of the world’s most famous film franchises.

And he rejected it.

“Cubby Broccoli came to me and said, ‘Would you like to be Bond?’” he told Al Roker of NBC’s “Today” show in an interview conducted before his 100th birthday next month.

Van Dyke said Broccoli, who produced many of the James Bond films, offered him the role of 007 when Sean Connery left. Connery left the role twice, in 1967 and 1971 (or three times, if you count the non-canonical “Never Say Never Again” in 1983). It’s unclear when they approached Van Dyke, but there was a reason he wasn’t interested.

“I said, ‘Have you heard my British accent?’” he said, referring to his famous attempt at a Cockney accent when he played Bert in 1964’s “Mary Poppins.”

He even apologized for it in 2017, when the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awarded him a Britannia Award for excellence in television.

“I appreciate this opportunity to apologize to the members of the BAFTAs for inflicting on them the most atrocious Cockney accent in the history of cinema,” he said, according to The Guardian.

Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews in
Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins.”

Donaldson Collection via Getty Images

Van Dyke added that at the time no one told him how bad it was.

“I was working with a whole English cast and no one said a word, not even Julie. [Andrews]”No one said I needed to work on it, so I thought it was fine,” he recalled.

In the new interview, Van Dyke said he regretted turning down Bond, but added that there was a role he wanted and can still play.

“I wanted to be Scrooge,” he said. “I always wanted to play Scrooge and I was able to do it. It’s only November. I still have time.”

Van Dyke will turn 100 on December 13 and is celebrating the occasion with a new book: “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimistic Guide to a Happy Life.”

See more of his interview with Roker below.

“,”guy”:”video”,”goal”:{“author”:”TODAY”,”author_url”:”https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChDKyKQ59fYz3JO2fl0Z6sg”,”cache_age”:86400,”description”:”About to turn 100, Dick Van Dyke sits down with TODAY’s Al Roker to talk about his new book called “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimistic Guide to a Happy Life.” He also reflects on his life and legacy and talks about his iconic films, including “Mary Poppins” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” and reveals the role he still wants to play.nn» Subscribe to TODAY: https://www.youtube.com/@TODAYnnTODAY brings you the latest headlines and expert advice on money, health and parenting. We wake up every morning to give you and your family everything you need to start the day. If it matters to you, it matters to us. We are in the people business. Subscribe to our channel for exclusive TODAY footage and our original web series.nnConnect with TODAY Online!nVisit the TODAY website: https://www.today.com/nFind TODAY on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/todaynFollow TODAY on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TODAYshownFollow TODAY on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/todayshow/nn» Stream TODAY all Day: https://www.today.com/alldaynAbout: TODAY All Day is a 24/7 streaming channel bringing you the top news and pop culture stories, celebrity interviews, cooking and more. Everything in one place.nn#dickvandyke #book #celebrity”,”options”:{“_cc_load_policy”:{“label”:”Closed Captions”,”worth”:FAKE},”_end”:{“label”:”Finish the”,”placeholder”:”ex.: 11, 1m10s”,”worth”:””},”_begin”:{“label”:”Start from”,”placeholder”:”ex.: 11, 1m10s”,”worth”:””}},”supplier_name”:”YouTube”,”thumbnail_height”:720,”thumbnail_url”:”https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2ZE1JIk5tTs/maxresdefault.jpg”,”thumbnail_width”:1280,”qualification”:”Dick Van Dyke talks about turning 100 and shares the secret to longevity”,”guy”:”video”,”URL”:”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZE1JIk5tTs”,”version”:”1.0″},”flags”:[],”improvements”:{},”complete bleeding”:FAKE,”options”:{“issue”:”news”,”device”:”office”,”editionInfo”:{“ID”:”us”,”name”:”US”,”link”:”https://www.News.com”,”place”:”y_US”},”Original edition”:”us”,”esMapi”:FAKE,”esAmp”:FAKE,”it’s mobile”:FAKE,”esAdsFree”:FAKE,”enVideoEntry”:FAKE,”enEntry”:TRUE,”also mount”:FAKE,”Entry ID”:”691fe2f4e4b047290e29aa15″,”entryPermanent link”:”https://www.News.com/entry/dick-van-dyke-turned-down-james-bond_n_691fe2f4e4b047290e29aa15″,”entryTagsList”:”james-bond,al-roker,dick-van-dyke,sean-connery,@us_News_now”,”sectionSlug”:”entertainment”,”departmentSlug”:”entertainment”,”sectionRedirectUrl”:”https://www.News.com/entertainment”,”subcategories”:”celebrity, television”,”it is wide”:FAKE,”enShopping”:FAKE,”Override header”:null,”no video ads”:FAKE,”disable float”:FAKE,”is native”:FAKE,”commercialVideo”:{“supplier”:”habit”,”site_and_category”:”us.entertainment”,”package”:null},”enHighline”:FAKE,”vidibleConfigValues”:{“cid”:”60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf”,”cancels”:{“front_page_top_videos”:{“office”:”60b64354b171b7444beaff4d”,”mobile web”:”60b64354b171b7444beaff4d”},”top_media”:{“office”:”60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147″,”mobile”:”60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee”,”iPhone”:”60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6″,”iPad”:”60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6″,”android phone”:”60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c”,”android tablet”:”60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c”},”anthology”:{“office”:”60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba”,”mobile”:”60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66″,”iPhone”:”60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6″,”iPad”:”60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6″,”android phone”:”60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c”,”android tablet”:”60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c”},”content”:{“office”:”60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba”,”mobile”:”60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66″,”iPhone”:”60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6″,”iPad”:”60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6″,”android phone”:”60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c”,”android tablet”:”60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c”}},”playerUpdates”:{“5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6″:”60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443″,”56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8″:”60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81″,”5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f”:”60b8e355cdd90620331ba185″,”58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895″:”60b64316b171b7444beafdb2″,”58b74698f78ced31417819ae”:”60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52″,”58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1″:”60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5″,”58cff690d85a100b9992bc39″:”60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba”,”58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d”:”60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6″,”58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180″:”60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66″,”58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7″:”60b643c82e76be41f112735c”,”592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd”:”60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c”,”5b35266b158f855373e28256″:”60b64354b171b7444beaff4d”,”5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a”:”60b64440b171b7444beb040b”,”5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9″:”60b646102e76be41f1127ffc”,”5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f”:”60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147″,”5c477987a6b48b35f164773d”:”60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee”,”5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371″:”60b8e747cdd90620331bb861″,”5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2″:”60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b”,”5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6″:”60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9″,”58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321″:”60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c”,”58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3″:”60d0dic19340d7032ad115a0″,”58cff8eccebcea42931e0436″:”60d0e005b627221e9d819d44″,”592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b”:”60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf”,”58cff72fd85a100b9992c112″:”60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da”,”56b4d34fe4b022697697c400″:”60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443″,”60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d”:”60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81″}},”connatixConfigValues”:{“Default player”:”ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b”,”click to play player”:”d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0″,”video page player”:”f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145″,”vertical player”:”e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065″,”StickyPlayerControl”:”52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da”,”sticky player”:”8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22″,”noAdsPlayer”:”deeeda04-49cb-4a1d-ac6c-c388a685b58e”,”life page player”:”e1d799d2-2d81-4f27-bfa0-e6833a657659″,”adLightDesktopPlayer”:”014f5956-89c0-4fda-9201-b1c2b8232be5″,”adLightMobilePlayer”:”b74a8200-8881-451a-b3ae-e3479c486eac”},”topConnatixThumnbailSrc”:”https://img.connatix.com/cf0c5b13-220b -4880-b154-1422204a2d70/1_th.jpg?crop=629:354,smart&width=629&height=354&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop”,”custom amplifier components”:[],”ampAssetsUrl”:”https://amp.assets.News.com”,”videoTraits”:null,”position in units units”:{“buzz_head”:{“count”:0},”body_buzz”:{“count”:0},”buzz_bottom”:{“count”:0}},”position in subunits”:{“article_body”:{“count”:5},”summary_blog”:{“count”:0},”before_going_happy”:{“count”:0}},”connatixCountsHelper”:{“count”:1},”buzzfeedTracking”:{“context_page_id”:”691fe2f4e4b047290e29aa15″,”context_page_type”:”buzz”,”destination”:”anger post”,”mode”:”office”,”page_edit”:”es-us”},”labels”:[{[{“name”:”james link”,”slug”:”james bond”,”golf course”:{“relative link”:”theme/james-bond”,”permanent link”:”https://www.News.com/topic/james-bond”,”mobileWebLink”:”https://www.News.com/topic/james-bond”},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/topic/james-bond”},{“name”:”Al Roker”,”slug”:”al-roker”,”golf course”:{“relative link”:”theme/al-roker”,”permanent link”:”https://www.News.com/topic/al-roker”,”mobileWebLink”:”https://www.News.com/topic/al-roker”},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/topic/al-roker”},{“name”:”Dick Van Dyke”,”slug”:”dick-van-dyke”,”golf course”:{“relative link”:”theme/dick-van-dyke”,”permanent link”:”https://www.News.com/topic/dick-van-dyke”,”mobileWebLink”:”https://www.News.com/topic/dick-van-dyke”},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/topic/dick-van-dyke”},{“name”:”Sean Connery”,”slug”:”Sean Connery”,”golf course”:{“relative link”:”theme/sean-connery”,”permanent link”:”https://www.News.com/topic/sean-connery”,”mobileWebLink”:”https://www.News.com/topic/sean-connery”},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/topic/sean-connery”}],”enLiveblogLive”:null,”enLiveblog”:FAKE,”backfillRelated articles”:[{[{“edition ID”:”us”,”holder”:”Dick Van Dyke responds to criticism over his 46-year age difference with his wife”,”Default image”:{“guy”:”Hector”,”URL”:”https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/6807a4941900002600a5e2ec.jpeg”,”queryParams”:{“cache”:”VoN54pmTmv”},”broad”:3000,”height”:2120,”credit”:”Rodin Eckenroth via Getty Images”,”operations”:””},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/entry/dick-van-dyke-age-gap-wife_n_68079967e4b09d8446f81133″,”ten”:”The two married in 2012, when Van Dyke was 86 and Arlene Silver was 40.”},{“edition ID”:”us”,”holder”:”Michael Fassbender auditioned for James Bond, but reveals he accidentally promoted someone else for it”,”Default image”:{“guy”:”Hector”,”URL”:”https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/67d7587d18000027001b2b02.jpeg”,”queryParams”:{“cache”:”2zleRe9XTN”},”broad”:8256,”height”:5504,”credit”:”Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images”,”operations”:””},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/entry/michael-fassbender-daniel-craig-james-bond-audition_n_67d75077e4b0d47e50281590″,”ten”:”The actor said he never really considered himself “in the mix” for the role.”},{“edition ID”:”us”,”holder”:”Mark Wahlberg Names the First Movie He’s Glad He Didn’t Make”,”Default image”:{“guy”:”Hector”,”URL”:”https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/68dc499818000077c15d0c35.jpeg”,”queryParams”:{“cache”:”nur0RmsXj9″},”broad”:3000,”height”:2000,”credit”:”Kristina Bumphrey via Getty Images”,”operations”:”500_281″},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/entry/mark-wahlberg-batman-robin-movie_n_68dc4916e4b0d2dd31586856″,”ten”:”The actor was asked if there were any roles he regretted missing out on.”},{“edition ID”:”us”,”holder”:”Daniel Craig reacts to Amazon MGM’s acquisition of the James Bond franchise”,”Default image”:{“guy”:”Hector”,”URL”:”https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/67b8ca2b1600002600c50f7b.jpeg”,”queryParams”:{“cache”:”29qVWBLqyr”},”broad”:4050,”height”:2700,”credit”:”via News”,”operations”:””},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/entry/daniel-craig-reacts-to-james-bond-franchise-acquisition-tktktk_n_67b8af02e4b09eb9377031e8″,”ten”:”The beloved franchise was protected for decades by sister producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, but is now under new creative control.”},{“edition ID”:”us”,”holder”:”Dick Van Dyke explains why he’s ‘not afraid’ of dying as his 99th birthday approaches”,”Default image”:{“guy”:”Hector”,”URL”:”https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/6753e7d714000059003d6738.jpeg”,”queryParams”:{“cache”:”ds5eX1A8v5″},”broad”:3772,”height”:5281,”credit”:”News Photo Archive via Getty Images”,”operations”:””},”URL”:”https://www.News.com/entry/dick-van-dyke-98-not-afraid-dying-coldplay-video_n_6753e627e4b0b9c809f843d6″,”ten”:”The iconic actor reflected on his life and career while starring in Coldplay.”All my love” music video.”}],”cet unit”:”body_buzz”,”enableIncontentPlayer”:FAKE,”bodyAds”:[[“

rnrn”,”

rnrn”,”

rnrn”],”ad count”:0,”midArticleAdPartner”:null},”enCollectionEmbed”:false}”>