Pierce Brosnan has been working for years to “break the shackles” between himself and the character of James Bond. Starring in three new films this year is a good start.

He said, in an interview with the LA Times, that he felt the mantle of the iconic character was very hard to shake. “At the time, I was definitely still very connected to the image and the history of Bond, even when I was in it - it just lives with you.”

“It permeates your life. And you know that going in, but the reality of it - the overcoat is really large, and can be quite heavy at times. So you have to break the shackles of that."

When deciding to move on from the role of Bond he realised that he would have to make a concerted effort to further his career.

“I said to my agents, 'Look, it's time to really work, and to find and explore other avenues here as an actor.' It doesn't have to be leading roles. Let's not be tripped up by past information. It's time to try and have longevity as an actor,” he said.

This year the Irish-born actor has appeared in “Remember Me” with Robert Pattinson, Roman Polanski's “The Ghost Writer”, and will star int the fantasy adventure “Percy Jackson And The Olympians.”