Pierce Brosnan has confessed playing James Bond always felt "phony".

The handsome actor - who has been dropped as 007 after four movies - has admitted he hated the suave spy's corny one-liners.

He revealed: "It never felt real to me. I never felt I had complete ownership over Bond. Because you'd have these stupid one-liners — which I loathed — and I always felt phony doing them."

Pierce, who played Bond in 'Goldeneye', 'Tomorrow Never Dies', 'The World Is Not Enough' and 'Die Another Day', says he feels liberated without the role.

The star says he initially felt a "titanic jolt" when he was first dropped, but claims that was soon replaced by "great calm."

He explained to America's Entertainment Weekly magazine: "I can do anything I want to do now. I'm not beholden to them or anyone. I'm not shackled by some contracted image."

Producers are still deciding who to cast as Bond for the next movie, 'Casino Royale'.

Although big name actors such as Ewan McGregor, Jude Law and Hugh Jackman have all been tipped for the role, movie sources recently claimed Bond bosses were focusing on lesser know actors.

Among them are 'ER' star Goran Visnjic, Henry Cavill, Alex O'Lachlan and Ewan Stewart, who all took screen tests last month.

Source: Press Release