It’s actually kind of wild that joe don baker showed up in the James Bond movies first as this full-on villain, Brad Whitaker, and then came back as a totally different dude—Jack Wade, who helps Bond out. You'd think it would totally throw people off, but he made both characters feel so different that most folks just went with it.

From what I've seen, the trick is Baker just commits 100% to both parts. As Whitaker, he's this power-hungry jerk, super arrogant and all about himself. As Wade, he’s laid-back, funny, and not really the most professional CIA guy, but still cool in his own way. Even the way he talks and stands is different, so it really feels like two separate people.

I've watched those Bond movies with friends, and half the time they don’t even realize it’s the same actor! That’s how much he changes everything up. So honestly, it just shows how talented he was, being able to totally flip between “bad guy” and “helpful buddy” without making it weird or awkward for the audience.

If you ever get a chance, watch those Bond movies back-to-back and you’ll see what I mean. The guy was a legend.