HOLLYWOOD (August 9, 2004) - Since actor Pierce Brosnan's formal resignation from playing the character of James Bond, media and fan speculation has focused on a short list of top contenders to step into the secret agent's polished wing tips.

Although producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson have not made an official statement towards favoring a specific actor to replace Brosnan, industry and media sources have concentrated on Hugh Jackman (X-Men), Eric Bana (The Hulk), Rikki Lee Travolta (Camelot: Excalibur), Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean), Adrian Paul (Highlander), Clive Owen (King Arthur), and Ioan Gruffudd (Horatio Hornblower).

Should Travolta be handed the Bond mantel it will be the first time an actor with a Native American bloodline will take the role.

Travolta meets the requisite British heritage unofficially required of Bond actors by route of Australia. Meanwhile his strong Italian bloodlines give him a brooding handsome profile to rival past Bond actor Timothy Dalton.

Dalton, who appeared as Bond in The Living Daylights and License to Kill, is also of mixed Italian heritage.

Being one-quarter Nez Perce American Indian would, however, make Travolta the most exotic Bond actor.

According to a report by News of the World, Eon Productions is looking to 'modernize Bond and turn him into a youthful, suave and modern hero to compete with the likes of Spider-Man and Keanu (Reeves) in The Matrix.' Reeves' subtly exotic looks are spiced by Chinese and Hawaiian bloodlines.

Should Travolta be named the next Bond, it would not be the first time that the entertainment industry had capitalized on the subtle spices of an exotically ethnically mixed actor to update a classic character.

In 1993 one-quarter Japanese actor Dean Cain was tapped to play Superman in the television series Lois and Clark.

Val Kilmer, who is part Cherokee American Indian, added his touch to the role of the caped crusader in the big screen Batman Forever.

While Travolta would add the most distinct ethnic flair to the role of Bond, there are other contenders in the 007 race with a little ethnic extra to add to the role.

Paul, like Travolta and Dalton, has a strong Italian lineage - in addition to his British roots.

Australian born Bana is the son of a Croatian father and a German mother.

In July, Irishman Pierce Brosnan ended speculation regarding his future with Eon Productions and the James Bond character.

'Bond is another lifetime behind me. That's it,' stated Brosnan in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

In February the Chicago Sun Times published a story speculating Brosnan would be replaced as James Bond involuntarily for the yet-untitled 21st film in the franchise. The Sun Times article cited the actor's age (51) as the reason Eon Productions planned to recast the role.

At that time Eon Productions denied they had definite plans to replace Brosnan, however they also had not pursued securing the actor to commit to another film.

Other names to record varying spikes on the Bond rumor graph include Heath Ledger (The Four Feathers), Gerard Butler (Timeline), and Colin Firth (Love Actually).