Rosamund Pike was asked to strip down to underwear while auditioning for Die Another Day

'I don’t know how I got the resolve and strength of mind, but I just thought 'actually sod that''

Rosamund Pike plays the Ruth, the British wife of Botswana's first president, in A United Kingdom (Rex)

Rosamund Pike has recounted the time she was asked to strip down to her underwear while auditioning for the James Bond film Die Another Day.

The Gone Girl actor said she refused to remove her clothes, something the producers admired as they ended up casting her as character Miranda Frost opposite Pierce Brosnan in the 2002 film.

“My first audition was for a Bond film and I remember them saying I was to drop my dress and appear in my underwear,” she told Amazon’s Audible Sessions.

“On the day, I don’t know how I got the resolve and strength of mind, but I just thought ‘actually sod that, if they're gonna see me in my underwear, they better give me the job'.

“So, I thought, 'There's no way I'm going to take off a dress in the audition for this tape to be sent around Los Angeles and to be judged on that'.”

Pike, who was 21 at the time, said she was asked to appear in an evening dress, adding she turned up in a silk gown once worn by her grandma.

“[The costume designer] said, 'That's a very beautiful dress, but in Bond films we wear things a little more like this', and she held up three pieces of string,” Pike continued.

“I realised I was in a completely different world and way out of my depth. So, I put on this shimmering sheath, or whatever the order of the day was, but I didn't drop it.”

Pike acknowledged that, despite the incident, she felt safe on set thanks to producer Barbara Broccoli and maintained that the character was well-written.

Rumours of s new Bond have been swirling with Idris Elba responding to news that he may portray the iconic character after Daniel Craig.

“My name's Elba, Idris Elba,” he Tweeted, before adding: “Don't believe the HYPE”.

Pike has had a busy year with roles in multiple films, including Entebbe, Beirut and Hostiles. She will next lead the Matthew Heineman-directed A Private War alongside Jamie Dornan.