Sean Connery, one of the world's most famous Scotland natives, has voiced his support for his homeland's independence ahead of the Thursday's historic referendum, but has yet to make a public appearance to help the campaign as some hoped he would.
The Oscar-winning actor has long advocated for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom. In March, he was one of the first celebrities to voice his support for the current referendum, even though he won't be eligible to vote because he now lives in the Bahamas.
"I fully respect the choice facing Scotland in September is a matter for the people who choose to work and live there — that's only right,"
Connery told the Sun U.K. newspaper, according to The Independent. "But as a Scot with a lifelong love of Scotland and the arts, I believe the opportunity of independence is too good to miss. Simply put there is no more creative an act than creating a new nation."
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"A 'yes' vote will capture the world's attention. There will be a renewed focus on our culture and politics, giving us an unparalleled opportunity to promote our heritage and creative excellence," the 84-year-old continued.
Referendum supporters, though, had hoped that the popular James Bond actor would return to Scotland to rally the people there to support the initiative.
In August, sources told the Daily Record that Connery planned to return in the final weeks to help send the referendum over the top.
"Sir Sean, a close friend of First Minister Alex Salmond, previously said he would move back to Scotland after a 'yes' vote," the Daily Record reported. "However, he is now expected to play some role in the run-up to the historic vote."
But Connery's brother Neil later dashed those hopes,
telling the Edinburgh Evening News this week that it was unlikely that Sean Connery would arrive in the country before the vote.
"There's only a certain amount of days Sean can be in the country for tax reasons, so I know that he intends to use them wisely," Neil Connery told the newspaper. "Last I heard from him he was in New York . . . He's got a lot on his plate at the moment."
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