Jeffrey Wright on the Geopolitical Accuracy of 'The Agency' and Why He's Ready to Move on From James Bond After ‘a Great Run' (Exclusive)

Jeffrey Wright is one of the most prolific actors on the planet, with roles in legendary movies and TV shows the likes of Basquiat,Boardwalk Empire, Westworld, Asteroid City, American Fiction, and The Phoenician Scheme. For James Bond fans, Wright also rebooted the iconic character of CIA agent Felix Leiter in Casino Royalein 2006, and reprised that role in Quantum of Solace (2008) and No Time to Die (2021). Amid his many projects, Wright has returned to the world of spycraft and the CIA in the pulse-pounding series The Agency.

Instead of playing a smooth-talking CIA field agent, Wright plays deputy chief Henry Ogletree, a spy master with a heart of gold and razor-sharp intellect. It would be easy to see Henry as the more realistic, grounded version of Felix from Bond, but because Wright always imbues his characters with so much humanity, Henry feels more like Felix's big brother or cool uncle.

Ahead of the launch of The Agency Season 2, Men's Journal talked to Wright to get his take on realistic spy stories, the nature of civil service, and why he's happy to move on from the James Bond franchise.

Men's Journal: In The Agency, Henry seems like the only person with a true moral compass. And he makes decisions fast. Is he kind of a lone wolf in that way?

Henry's a bit of a machine inside the machine, and I think he takes pride in what he does. He's skilled at what he does. He's experienced, he takes his work seriously, and he understands, the seriousness of the work. In some ways, Henry is kind of the portrait of a heroic civil servant doing his best every day on behalf of an ideal. In this instance, that ideal is the people of the United States. He recognizes the great responsibility, and I don't think he's anonymous. I grew up in Washington, D.C. My father was a lawyer for the U.S. government and for customs. I grew up in the culture of the bureaucracy of Washington. I've gotten to know a number of federal employees throughout my life, and they're very well-meaning, well-intended folks. Henry's that guy.

So you'd classify him as one of the good guys?

Henry happens to work in an agency that is somewhat controversial, somewhat complex morally, and probably generates more problems than might be useful. But he does the best he can with the cards he's dealt. That's who he is. I'm in the midst of this, in our world, in which things are, in some ways, going off the rails. Henry is trying to put the train back on track.

In the James Bond movies, you played another CIA guy, Felix Leiter. Is The Agency the realistic take on the world of Bond?

Oh yeah, very much so. The Bond world is fantastical. The world of The Agency is much more grounded in a kind of geopolitical reality that's pretty similar to the reality outside our windows right now. I enjoyed that because part of the preparation on the show is just to be aware of what's happening in Ukraine, South Sudan, and Iran-to have at least some degree of fluency in those events.

I think the show is fairly authentic, and we hope, set in a realistic geopolitical setting. But, at the same time, it uses that backdrop for a series of character-rich, character-driven narratives and dramatic tension. And those relationships are born more of trust and love than from politics. I think it's a smartly drawn show. That's why I signed up.

How do you feel about your time with Bond today?

Bond is wonderful. I loved being a part of that series. I didn't imagine as a boy who was kind of enthralled by the Bond world that I would be a part of it. I was thrilled to have been asked, and I think we had a wonderful run over the three films I did with Daniel [Craig]. It was great.

Everyone wants to know who will be the next Bond. But what about the next Felix Leiter? Would you ever play a different version of the character?

I had my time, had a great run, and I think it's time to let someone else wear those shoes. There's been a lineage of actors who've played that role. For me, in the beginning, it was Jack Lord. It's like, wow, man. I just dug Jack Lord. I mean, he and Connery together [in Dr. No] were just like this ridiculously cool duo. I'm glad that I got to grab the baton for a bit, but yeah, it's time to pass it on to someone else who knows where it goes. I've turned the page on that chapter, with a good deal of satisfaction.

The Agency Season 2 streams all 10 episodes on Paramount+ on June 21, 2026.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 1:12 PM.