Timothy Dalton became an international icon when he took on the role of James Bond in the 1980s years after reaching sex symbol status in 1970’s Wuthering Heights.

And now the 80-year-old British acting legend has been seen on a rare outing with a surprising new look.

Dalton looked as dashing as ever while out in Los Angeles while showing off his brand new mustache.

He showed off his handsome face and chiseled jawline by staying clean-shaven in his most famous roles and is now boldly trying something different just days after celebrating his 80th birthday.

Dalton famously was the fourth actor to portray 007 James Bond as he played him twice in 1987’s The Living Daylights and 1989’s Licence To Kill.

He followed Roger Moore who starred in seven Bond films from 1973 to 1985 and was succeeded by Pierce Brosnan who starred in four films from 1995 to 2002.

Timothy Dalton became an international icon when he took on the role of James Bond in the 1980s; he is seen with ‘Bond girl’ Carey Lowell in 1989’s Licence To Kill

Dalton – who turned 80 on Saturday – looked as dashing as ever while out in Los Angeles while showing off his brand new mustache

Dalton is one of only seven actors to portray Bond on the silver screen – along with Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Moore, Brosnan and Daniel Craig, while David Niven featured in one unofficial, non-Eon Productions film.

Dalton was famously criticized for his portrayal of Bond as he was seen as a polarizing departure from Moore as he was deemed as too serious in comparison to the former’s more lighthearted, campier characterization.

Moore later praised Dalton’s performance as he said: ‘I thought Timothy’s Bond was excellent.’

However, now Dalton’s Bond has been seen in a much better light more recently as he has been credited for his gritty accuracy to Ian Fleming’s novels which the film series is based on.

Before Bond, the actor shot to fame as he starred opposite Anna Calder-Marshall in 1970’s Wuthering Heights, as the 1847 novel of the same name written by Emily Brontë has been recently reimagined by Emerald Fennell famously starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

Dalton went on to star in several films including 1991’s The Rocketeer, 2007’s Hot Fuzz, and the voice of Mr. Pricklepants in 2010’s Toy Story 3.

He has 75 credits to his name with his most recent role being in nine episodes of Yellowstone prequel 1923 alongside Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.

However, it is still the role of Bond which is synonymous with Dalton’s name.

He showed off his handsome face and chiseled jawline by staying clean-shaven in his most famous roles and is now boldly trying something different

Dalton famously was the fourth actor to portray 007 James Bond as he played him twice in 1987’s The Living Daylights (pictured) and 1989’s Licence To Kill

The poster for The Living Daylights is seen

The poster for 1989’s Licence To Kill is seen

Before Bond, the actor became a sex symbol as he starred opposite Anna Calder-Marshall in 1970’s Wuthering Heights adapted from 1847 novel of the same name written by Emily Brontë

Last year, he branded the sale of the film franchise to Amazon as ‘sad’ – while insisting the next actor to play 007 must be British.

In March 2025, Dalton raised concerns over the takeover deal as long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson revealed they were ceding creative control to streaming giant Amazon, founded by tech billionaire Jeff Bezos.

The pair are the daughter and stepson of Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli who launched the British spy franchise in 1962.

They will remain co-owners but fans and former Bond film stars have raised concerns about how the future of the legendary 007 series will play out.

The most recent Bond film No Time To Die was released in 2021 and there has still been no decision on who will succeed Daniel Craig in the lead role.

At the time, Dalton was asked about the fears being expressed, he told the Telegraph: ‘I think it’s sad as well. Barbara is one of the best women in the whole world. I think she’s fantastic.

‘Around a Bond movie, everyone’s got an opinion. That tends to make something less special, but if you keep it to people who know what they’re doing and know what they want, then it will sharpen up and be good. Barbara had that.

‘I have no idea what Amazon would do with it, and I have no idea what the relationship of Amazon to the Broccolis will be.

Last year, he branded the sale of the film franchise to Amazon as ‘sad’ – while insisting the next actor to play 007 must be British

Concerns among Bond fans have been raised about the March 2025 deal with Amazon, whose chief executive and founder is billionaire Jeff Bezos (pictured in California in September 2012)

‘But it is a damn fine series of movies. I was watching it when I was young, we all were. It’s been part of our lives, so anything that threatens it is kind of sad.’

And on the subject of whether the next actor picked for the main role created in Ian Fleming’s novels should be British, Dalton insisted: ‘I would agree with that.

‘It is one of the few wonderful stories we’ve got in film that is British. The leading character is British. We can call it our own.

‘Yes. Yes. Because that’s where it was born, that’s what the stories are. Definitely. One hundred per cent.’

And on the subject of whether the next actor picked for the main role created in Ian Fleming’s novels should be British, Dalton insisted: ‘I would agree with that. ‘It is one of the few wonderful stories we’ve got in film that is British. The leading character is British. We can call it our own’

Producer Barbara Broccoli, 65, controlled the Bond movies for 30 years after taking over from her father – Dalton has paid tribute to her as ‘one of the best women in the whole world’

Michael G Wilson (left), Daniel Craig (middle) and Barbara Broccoli (right) are all saying goodbye to the franchise – they are seen here together in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in April 2019

Yet he did express some optimism for what the future might hold for the Bond franchise under the new Amazon-led regime.

Dalton said of 007’s prospects: ‘Everyone who’s got anything to do with it will be working very hard to make it a hit. Amazon are quite capable of making it a hit, I should think.’

Actors thought to be in the running to succeed Craig as Bond include Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jacob Elordi, Harris Dickinson, Henry Cavill, and James Nelson-Joyce as of March 2026.

Earlier candidates have long been said to include Tom Hardy and Idris Elba, although some critics have suggested both might now be too old for the role.

[H/T Daily Mail]