Waltz Denies He Is Playing Blofeld In Spectre

Double Oscar winner Christoph Waltz has dismissed rumours he is playing supervillain Blofeld in the new James Bond film.

The actor has been cast as a baddie with the name Franz Oberhauser in Spectre, which sees Daniel Craig play 007 for a fourth time.

There has been a lot of speculation about his character, with rumours starting that Oberhauser is actually the alter ego of cat lover Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the head of criminal organisation Spectre in previous Bond films and in the original books.

"That is absolutely untrue. That rumour started on the internet, and the internet is a pest. The name of my character is Franz Oberhauser," Waltz told GQ magazine.

The Austrian star said that he only wanted to appear in a certain kind of Bond film - and compared the movies to Punch and Judy shows.

"I did, yes (think twice). I always hesitate... You ask yourself, hang on: what James Bond are we talking about?

"The thing about Spectre is that it is not the work of hack writers," he told the May edition of the magazine.

"It does not have a hack director. The actors are not hams. The action sequences in Mexico are extravagant to say the least.

"The scenes in Austria are traditional Bond action in the snow. These films with Daniel Craig have shifted the tone. They don't depend on a set formula that forces actors simply to go through the motions," he added.

Waltz, whose shadowy outline can be seen in the latest Bond trailer for the movie, directed by Sam Mendes, added: "A James Bond film can be artistically fulfilling. Absolutely it can. It can be complex and it can be interesting.

"I consider Bond movies to be an extension of popular theatre, a kind of modern mythology. You see the same sort of action in Punch and Judy, or in the folk theatre of various cultures".

The Django Unchained actor said of achieving success later in his career: "It feels good ... I feel like I served my time. I feel I have paid [my dues]."

Blofeld was portrayed in previous OO7 outings by actors including Donald Pleasance, Telly Savalas and Charles Gray, and inspired the character of Dr Evil in the Austin Powers spoof films.

At the weekend it was revealed that Craig flew to New York for surgery on his knee after injuring it on set in Mexico.

Spectre is out in the UK in November.