You’ve seen the photos. The internet doesn’t let you miss them. Whether it’s the brooding black-and-white shots for Saint Laurent or that viral Aaron Taylor-Johnson photoshoot for Rolling Stone UK where he’s literally doing backflips in a leather jacket, the guy is everywhere. But here’s the thing: everyone is looking at these images and seeing a James Bond audition. Honestly? That’s a bit of a disservice to what he’s actually doing.
People have been obsessing over his "007 energy" since he showed up at the 81st Venice International Film Festival looking like he stepped out of a 1960s spy thriller. Then there’s the Omega campaign. You know the one—he’s at the HQ in Bienne, Switzerland, looking at watches. Since Bond wears an Omega, the internet basically had a collective meltdown. But if you actually look at the range of his recent work, from the "Acqua di Giò" fragrance shots to the rugged Kraven the Hunter promos, it’s clear he’s not just "auditioning." He’s building a brand that is way more tactile and weirdly athletic than your standard suit-and-tie hero.
Why the Saint Laurent Winter 2025 Campaign Changed Everything
Most actors do a fashion shoot, stand there, and look pretty. Aaron doesn't really do that. In his recent Saint Laurent Winter 2025 campaign, shot by Glen Luchford, he’s paired with Christopher Walken. Think about that for a second. Walken is the ultimate "gravity" actor, and Aaron is the "visceral" one.
In the short films accompanying the stills, Aaron is almost feral. He’s moving through these states of obsession and despair. It’s not "suave." It’s actually kinda uncomfortable. Anthony Vaccarello, the creative director at Saint Laurent, clearly wanted to tap into that raw, almost 1980s Robert Mapplethorpe vibe. It’s a far cry from the polished, untouchable image of a secret agent. It’s sweaty. It’s high-fashion angst.
The contrast is what makes it work. You have Walken representing the weight of age and experience, while Aaron is the immediate, instinctual youth. If you’re looking for a Aaron Taylor-Johnson photoshoot that defines his current "era," this is the one. It’s less about being a leading man and more about being a physical specimen.
The Rolling Stone UK "Acrobatics"
This is my favorite piece of trivia from his recent press runs. During the Rolling Stone UK shoot for the April/May 2024 issue, the crew didn't ask him to do half the stuff he did. He just... started doing handstands.
He grew up as a dancer. He works with movement coaches. When he showed up to the shoot in vintage Helmut Lang and Nanushka, he started flipping and jumping with so much "unprompted agility" (their words, not mine) that the photographers were just trying to keep up. Most actors are worried about their chin angle. He’s worried about how his body occupies the three-dimensional space.
- Photographer: Kosmas Pavlos
- Key Look: That sheer tank top and the heavy motorcycle trousers by Belstaff.
- The Vibe: High-octane kinetic energy.
Dealing with the "Bond" of it All
Let's address the elephant in the room. Every time a new Aaron Taylor-Johnson photoshoot hits Instagram, the comments are 90% "He's the next Bond."
He’s been the frontrunner since 2023. Rumors suggest he’s already been offered the contract. But he is a master of the "poker face." When asked about it, he usually pivots to talking about his farm in Somerset or his four daughters. He told Rolling Stone that he "can only really talk about the things I'm going to show and tell." Basically, he’s not confirming anything until the ink is dry.
But the photography tells a different story. Look at the Giorgio Armani "Cinema Club" event at the 2025 Venice Film Festival. He showed up with a bushier beard and longer hair—not exactly the clean-shaven Commander Bond look. It felt like a deliberate choice to look "unrecognizable" compared to the rumors. He’s playing the long game with his public image, using these shoots to prove he has more range than just a tuxedo.
The Physicality of the Esquire "Kraven" Shoot
If you want to see the "bulk" side of things, go back to the September 2023 Esquire cover. Shot by Norman Jean Roy at Bannerman Castle in New York, this was the peak of his Kraven the Hunter physique.
He was 200 pounds of muscle for that role. He was eating constantly. He hated it. In his own words, he didn't want "getting big" to be his brand. He wanted to approach it like an actor, not a bodybuilder. The photos in that shoot reflect that struggle; they are rugged, raw, and honestly a bit scary. He’s wearing Loewe coats and vintage Henleys, looking like someone you’d find in the woods, not a red carpet.
The irony? Right after that, he had to slim down significantly for Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu. He had to look gaunt and Victorian. This "yo-yoing" of his physical form is captured perfectly in the chronological progression of his photoshoots. You can literally see his body changing to fit the art.
How to Lean Into the "ATJ" Aesthetic
If you're looking at these shoots and trying to figure out why they work so well, it’s not just the DNA lottery. It’s the intentionality of the styling. He’s moved away from the "boyish charm" of his Kick-Ass days and into something much more curated.
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- Texture over Color: You’ll notice a lot of leather, shearling, and heavy knits. He rarely wears a flat, boring suit.
- Movement: Even in still photos, he’s rarely static. There’s always a sense that he’s about to move, or he’s just finished moving.
- The "Gaze": He has this way of looking through the lens rather than at it. It’s a technique often used by actors who treat a photoshoot like a scene.
Honestly, the best way to keep up with his evolution is to watch the photographers he chooses to work with. He’s not just doing "press junket" photos anymore. He’s working with people like Glen Luchford and Kosmas Pavlos who treat photography as a narrative medium.
To stay updated on his style transitions, you should follow the specific creative directors of the houses he fronts, like Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent or the Armani Beauty team. They often drop "behind the scenes" reels that show the actual movement and intensity he brings to the set, which usually tells a better story than the final, polished magazine cover.
Check out the official Saint Laurent "Winter 2025" video clips if you want to see the difference between "posing" and "acting" in a fashion context—it's pretty eye-opening.