Daniel Craig

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Birthday:

2 March 1968, Chester, Cheshire, England, UK

Birth Name:

Daniel Wroughton Craig

Height:

178 cm

Daniel Craig, one of British theatre's most famous faces, who waited tables as a struggling teenage actor with the National Youth Theatre, went on to star as "James Bond" in Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015).He was born Daniel Wroughton Craig on March 2, 1968, at 41 Liverpool Road, Chester, Cheshire, England. His father, Timothy John Wroughton Craig, was a merchant seaman turned steel erector, and then became landlord of the "Ring O' Bells" pub in Frodsham, Cheshire. His mother, Carol Olivia (Williams), was an art teacher. Craig is of English, as well as Welsh, Scottish, and Irish, ancestry. His parents split up in 1972, and young Daniel was raised with his older sister, Lea, in Liverpool, then in Hoylake, Wirral, in the home of his mother. His interest in acting was encouraged by visits to the Liverpool Everyman Theatre arranged by his mother. From the age of 6, Craig started acting in school plays, making his debut in the Frodsham Primary School production of "Oliver!", and his mother was the driving force behind his artistic aspirations. The first Bond movie he ever saw at the cinema was Roger Moore's Live and Let Die (1973); young Daniel Craig saw it with his father, so it took a special place in his heart. He was also a good athlete and was a rugby player at Hoylake Rugby Club.At the age of 14, Craig played roles in "Oliver", "Romeo and Juliet" and "Cinderella" at Hilbre High School in West Kirby, Wirral, UK. He left Hilbre High at 16 to audition at the National Youth Theatre's (NYT) troupe on their tour in Manchester in 1984. He was accepted and moved down to London. There, his mother and father watched his stage debut as "Agamemnon" in Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida". As a struggling actor with the NYT, he was toiling in restaurant kitchens and as a waiter. Craig performed with NYT on tours to Valencia, Spain, and to Moscow, Russia, under the leadership of director Edward Wilson. He failed at repeated auditions at the Guildhall, but eventually his persistence paid off, and in 1988, he entered the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at the Barbican. There, he studied alongside Ewan McGregor and Alistair McGowan, then later Damian Lewis and Joseph Fiennes, among others. He graduated in 1991, after a three-year course under the tutelage of Colin McCormack, the actor from the Royal Shakespeare Company. From 1992-1994, he was married to Scottish actress Fiona Loudon, their daughter, named Ella Craig, was born in 1992. Daniel Craig made his film debut in The Power of One (1992). His film career continued on television, notably the BBC2 serial Our Friends in the North (1996). He shot to international fame after playing supporting roles in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Road to Perdition (2002). He was nominated for his performances in the leading role in Layer Cake (2004), and received other awards and nominations. Craig was named as the sixth actor to portray "James Bond", in October of 2005, weeks after he finished his work in Munich (2005), where he co-starred with Eric Bana under the directorship of Steven Spielberg.Craig's reserved demeanor and his avoidance of the showbiz-party-red-carpet milieu makes him a cool "007". He is the first blond actor to play Bond, and also the first to be born after the start of the film series, and also the first to be born after the death of author Ian Fleming in 1964. Four of the past Bond actors: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan have indicated that Craig is a good choice as "Bond". Show less «

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Do you ever look back and think: How the hell did I end up playing James Bond?"] I kno...Show more »

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Do you ever look back and think: How the hell did I end up playing James Bond?"] I know, its ludicrous, its ridiculous. When I first got approached, I just thought: Youve made a mistake. I dont know, its still crazy. Show less «

I go through life thinking it's all going to end tomorrow.

I don't believe in self-promotion, really I can't be arsed.

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Can you imagine doing another Bond movie?"] Now? Id rather break this glass and slas...Show more »

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Can you imagine doing another Bond movie?"] Now? Id rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. Thats fine. Im over it at the moment. Were done. All I want to do is move on. Show less «

People always say, "That stuff you did in Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998) must have been difficult . . . but...Show more »

People always say, "That stuff you did in Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998) must have been difficult . . . but I say, "No, it wasn't really; that was some of the easier stuff to do", because it was always clear and made a lot of sense. It's when things are unclear and when you don't know what you're doing--that's when things are difficult. Show less «

As far as I'm concerned, I want to be nowhere else. It's difficult in film because everybody wants to make a safe bet with roles. But if you...Show more »

As far as I'm concerned, I want to be nowhere else. It's difficult in film because everybody wants to make a safe bet with roles. But if you are going to do stuff then you should be getting strong reactions. I don't want audiences to be going, 'Yeah, that's all right.' Show less «

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Do you want to move on from Bond for good?"] I havent given it any thought. For at l...Show more »

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Do you want to move on from Bond for good?"] I havent given it any thought. For at least a year or two, I just dont want to think about it. I dont know what the next step is. Ive no idea. Not because Im trying to be cagey. Who the fuck knows? At the moment, weve done it. Im not in discussion with anybody about anything. If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money. Show less «

It's something else. I'm speechless. I've just got to step up to the plate and deal with it. I had a confidence about it but then that's bec...Show more »

It's something else. I'm speechless. I've just got to step up to the plate and deal with it. I had a confidence about it but then that's because of the people around me who made me feel good about it. I knew positively on Monday. I was in Baltimore when I took the call. My first reaction was I needed a drink. Show less «

I hate handguns. Handguns are used to shoot people and as long as they are around, people will shoot each other. That's a simple fact. I've ...Show more »

I hate handguns. Handguns are used to shoot people and as long as they are around, people will shoot each other. That's a simple fact. I've seen a bullet wound and it was a mess. It was on a shoot and it scared me. Bullets have a nasty habit of finding their target and that's what's scary about them. Show less «

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Playing James Bond is a lot about how you look the clothes, the walk, the fitness. ...Show more »

[TimeOut London interview, 7 October 2015, answering "Playing James Bond is a lot about how you look the clothes, the walk, the fitness. Do you ever get fed up with all that?"] Its a drag. The best acting is when youre not concerned about the surface. And Bond is the opposite of that. You have to be bothered about how youre looking. Its a struggle. I know that how Bond wears a suit and walks into a room is important. But as an actor I dont want to give a fuck about what I look like! So I have to play with both things. In a way that works, as thats Bond: he looks good and he doesnt give a fuck what you think he looks like! Show less «

I kind of feel that if you look at the track record of most Bonds - I mean Sean Connery obviously defined the part, and even he struggled fo...Show more »

I kind of feel that if you look at the track record of most Bonds - I mean Sean Connery obviously defined the part, and even he struggled for a while to get rid of the mantle. That's the pitfall and it could happen to me. I've been working so hard, for however long it is I've been doing this, to try and stick to doing stuff I totally believe in and that would be wiped out. I thought, God, this is all right: I'm doing what I want to do. And that was a huge weight off my shoulders. Show less «

I just wanted to see him [James Bond] make a few mistakes. I want to make the audience believe that it's all going to go wrong and then when...Show more »

I just wanted to see him [James Bond] make a few mistakes. I want to make the audience believe that it's all going to go wrong and then when it goes right it's much more exciting. Every day you pick up an injury and you're battered and bruised. If you're not physically fit then it's difficult to get through. I'm a Bond fan. If I go and see a Bond movie there are certain things I think should be in it. And they're there. We've got them in spades. Nobody knows more than I do how important this is, and it's my job to get it right. Show less «

[on the backlash from Bond fans] I didn't expect this backlash. You take it in, you can't help it. I've been trying to give 110% since the b...Show more »

[on the backlash from Bond fans] I didn't expect this backlash. You take it in, you can't help it. I've been trying to give 110% since the beginning, but after all the fuss, maybe I started giving 115%. Show less «

[interview in Entertainment Weekly magazine] If I went onto the Internet and started looking at what some people were saying about me - whic...Show more »

[interview in Entertainment Weekly magazine] If I went onto the Internet and started looking at what some people were saying about me - which, sadly, I have done - it would drive me insane. Show less «

[interview in Entertainment Weekly magazine] They [diehard James Bond fans] hate me. They don't think I'm right for the role. It's as simple...Show more »

[interview in Entertainment Weekly magazine] They [diehard James Bond fans] hate me. They don't think I'm right for the role. It's as simple as that. They're passionate about it, which I understand, but I do wish they'd reserve judgment. Show less «

I hope it's going to be liberating. I'm not putting any negative spin on this because to be typecast as James Bond is a very high-class prob...Show more »

I hope it's going to be liberating. I'm not putting any negative spin on this because to be typecast as James Bond is a very high-class problem for an actor, and I'm certainly going to try to get as much out of it as I can. Of course I am always going to think about whether it is going to limit what I do. I plan for it not to, but if it does, I'll approach that problem when it comes. Show less «

I wanted to do as much of the action work as I could, so that the audience can see it's me and it's real. I feel like I became a sportsman o...Show more »

I wanted to do as much of the action work as I could, so that the audience can see it's me and it's real. I feel like I became a sportsman of sorts, and that meant acquiring injuries and carrying on and bashing through to the next level of pain. Although the stunt team did fantastic work to make sure that everything was as safe as possible, if you don't get bruised playing Bond, you're not doing it properly. I had black eyes, I had cuts, I was bruised, I had muscle strains, and I took a lot of painkillers. But it was part of the job. As much as I was hurt, the stuntmen were in much more pain. Show less «

I was affected by it - of course I was. What bothered me was that I was being criticized before I had done the work. I wasn't going to get i...Show more »

I was affected by it - of course I was. What bothered me was that I was being criticized before I had done the work. I wasn't going to get into an argument with these people, so my only response was, 'See the movie and then you have the right to criticize, but first see what I am trying to do.' It strengthened my resolve. I was hurt by it, but it just made me try harder. The pressure was there. I know a lot of people feel very passionate about the Bond movies, but so do I, so I just got on with it. What I tried to achieve was just making a movie people will want to go and see, and I think we have made a great movie. One of the things I was criticized for was that I looked like a bad guy, but I was happy with that because I think true good guys have to step into the dark side to do their job. I wanted people to question Bond's morals and his judgment. Show less «

Sean Connery set and defined the character. He did something extraordinary with that role. He was bad, sexy, animalistic and stylish, and it...Show more »

Sean Connery set and defined the character. He did something extraordinary with that role. He was bad, sexy, animalistic and stylish, and it is because of him I am here today. I wanted Sean Connery's approval and he sent me messages of support, which meant a lot to me. Show less «

[interview with David Giammarco, Hello! magazine, 11/27/06, about the plot for "Bond 21"] What we've done is set in process the idea that th...Show more »

[interview with David Giammarco, Hello! magazine, 11/27/06, about the plot for "Bond 21"] What we've done is set in process the idea that there's an organization out there and Bond is now after them. That's where we will pick up the next film. There's going to be a real element of revenge. Show less «

[on-set interview with David Giammarco, The Globe and Mail, 3/27/06] I got a personal trainer for Casino Royale (2006), which has been an ab...Show more »

[on-set interview with David Giammarco, The Globe and Mail, 3/27/06] I got a personal trainer for Casino Royale (2006), which has been an absolute godsend. I knew I had to be in the best shape I could be, otherwise I would never survive it. Because at the end of the day, there isn't any painting-it-in for this movie. These stunts aren't going to be helped by CGI . . . what you're seeing is the real thing. And I've got the bruises to prove it! Show less «

[interview with David Giammarco, Hello! magazine, 11/27/06, on on being approached to take over the James Bond character] [Pierce Brosnan] a...Show more »

[interview with David Giammarco, Hello! magazine, 11/27/06, on on being approached to take over the James Bond character] [Pierce Brosnan] and I had a few drinks over it and we discussed it. And his advice to me was, "Go for it!"--which I think is the best advice I could've gotten. Show less «

[on preparing for his second James Bond performance] Last time I did a lot of weights to bulk up. This time I'll do more running. I won't be...Show more »

[on preparing for his second James Bond performance] Last time I did a lot of weights to bulk up. This time I'll do more running. I won't be as "no-neck". But when this guy takes his shirt off, he should look like he could kill someone. Show less «

I always wanted to be an actor. I had the arrogance to believe I couldn't be anything else.

Method actors suggest that you do sense memory exercises every time you do a scene. I use every method I can. Whatever works, I'll use.

Well, competition is so important, even when you're an artist. And if you deny that there's competition, then you're a liar. That's what giv...Show more »

Well, competition is so important, even when you're an artist. And if you deny that there's competition, then you're a liar. That's what gives you your ambition. Show less «

[on first hearing he had the role of James Bond) When [Bond producer Barbara Broccoli] rang me to tell me I'd got the part, I was buying dis...Show more »

[on first hearing he had the role of James Bond) When [Bond producer Barbara Broccoli] rang me to tell me I'd got the part, I was buying dishwashing tablets in Whole Foods. I promptly dropped them and went and bought a bottle of vodka! Show less «

[remarking on an injury he sustained on the set of Quantum of Solace (2008)] I lost my fingerprint, so now I can go out and commit all sorts...Show more »

[remarking on an injury he sustained on the set of Quantum of Solace (2008)] I lost my fingerprint, so now I can go out and commit all sorts of crimes. Show less «

[on the delayed sequel to Quantum of Solace (2008)] The new Bond movie is on hold but I am champing at the bit to get going on it as quickly...Show more »

[on the delayed sequel to Quantum of Solace (2008)] The new Bond movie is on hold but I am champing at the bit to get going on it as quickly as possible. I love playing Bond - I don't want to be away from it for too long. Show less «

I think there's a lot to be said for keeping your own counsel. It's not about being afraid to be public with your emotions or about who you ...Show more »

I think there's a lot to be said for keeping your own counsel. It's not about being afraid to be public with your emotions or about who you are and what you stand for. But if you sell it off it's gone. You can't buy it back - you can't buy your privacy back. Ooh, I want to be alone. Fuck you. We've been in your living room. We were at your birth. You filmed it for us and showed us the placenta and now you want some privacy? Look at the Kardashians, they're worth millions. I don't think they were that badly off to begin with but now look at them. You see that and you think, 'What, you mean all I have to do is behave like a fucking idiot on television and then you'll pay me millions.' I'm not judging it - well, I am obviously. Show less «

You talk to people in the movie business who have been doing this 40 years and they all say the difference is that, back in the day, you cou...Show more »

You talk to people in the movie business who have been doing this 40 years and they all say the difference is that, back in the day, you could go and have a drink in the bar, get drunk, fall over, have a good time, relax, whatever, and no one would know about it. But now everyone's got a camera. Not that all I want to do is get drunk in a bar, but that's an example. So you can't live a normal life anymore. Because it will become public knowledge that you've whatever-gotten drunk in a bar or skinny-dipped on a beach or something. Things that normal people do occasionally. And in a way that's kind of-I've got to be high-class. I've done a lot of things in my life. But you have to think in that way. Which is sad, because I like bars. Show less «

[on how the character of James Bond has matured over time] What I'm doing is not what Pierce was doing, and Pierce wasn't doing what Roger M...Show more »

[on how the character of James Bond has matured over time] What I'm doing is not what Pierce was doing, and Pierce wasn't doing what Roger Moore was doing, or what Sean was doing, or what Timothy [Dalton] was doing. Things have changed. It's just kind of the ride of it. Pierce used to say that it's like being responsible for a small country. It's kind of like you have to look after it diplomatically. I kind of get that, but I can't really say that's my deal. I'm not going to be the poster boy for this. Although I am the poster boy.It's amazing how many times I've sat in interviews like this in a bar or a hotel, and it's 11 o'clock in the morning and someone sends a martini over [laughing]. And it's like, Really? It's 11 o'clock! Cheers! I'm not going to drink it. Show less «

[on product placement and the controversy over Skyfall (2012) featuring of Heineken and not a martini] Now, product placement, whichever way...Show more »

[on product placement and the controversy over Skyfall (2012) featuring of Heineken and not a martini] Now, product placement, whichever way you look at it, whether you like it or you think it's disgusting, or whatever, it's what it is. . . . Heineken gave us a ton of money for there to be Heineken in a shot in a bar. So, how easy is that? Just to say, O.K., there's Heineken. It's there-it's in the back of the shot. Without them, the movie couldn't get sold, so that all got kind of blown up. 'Bond's new drink is a Heineken.' He likes a lot of drinks-Heineken, champagne; it's all in there. I'll drink a beer in the shot, I'm happy to, but I'm not going to do an 'Ahhhhh' [pantomiming an actor looking refreshed]. And I would say this because they're paying, but they're kind of respectful about it. They don't want to screw the movie up. Show less «

[on independent film] Sometimes shooting on a smaller scale, as long as things don't blow out of proportion, is very liberating. But I would...Show more »

[on independent film] Sometimes shooting on a smaller scale, as long as things don't blow out of proportion, is very liberating. But I wouldn't like to self-consciously go out and look for some nice small project just to get a chance to prove my acting chops. It's like, I think I've... done enough of that. Show less «

Most people who behave in a macho way, it's bluster. Most of the time we're all bullshitting our way through life. There are strong people o...Show more »

Most people who behave in a macho way, it's bluster. Most of the time we're all bullshitting our way through life. There are strong people on this planet, but it's all the swan technique: it looks beautiful on top and the legs are going like this, underneath, you know? Someone like Bond, it's 90 per cent confidence. Show less «

[on the evolution of James Bond in his movies] Sexual politics has come a long way since '62, unless you want us slapping ladies on the ass ...Show more »

[on the evolution of James Bond in his movies] Sexual politics has come a long way since '62, unless you want us slapping ladies on the ass and telling them to go and wait in the other room because the men are talking and that kind of stuff. Bond remains a little bit of a chauvinist, which I think is good, because it means if you stick strong women in front of him, then shit happens. It doesn't take the sexiness out of it. The fact is he could die in any minute, and therefore he might as well jump into bed with somebody. Show less «

[on being asked to perform with Queen Elizabeth at the opening of the 2010 Olympics] My first reaction was 'How many people will be watching...Show more »

[on being asked to perform with Queen Elizabeth at the opening of the 2010 Olympics] My first reaction was 'How many people will be watching? A billion and a half?'! I guess I'm doing this!' She was great, a really good sport. When they brought it to me, they'd already told her that I'd be doing it. I didn't have much of a choice. It was literally a Luca Brasi situation from The Godfather (1972) - an offer I couldn't refuse. Show less «

Everybody always moans, 'Where's Bond gone? Where's all the jokes?' Well, give us time! I always had a master plan in the back of my head th...Show more »

Everybody always moans, 'Where's Bond gone? Where's all the jokes?' Well, give us time! I always had a master plan in the back of my head that with the third movie - if I ever got there - it would be time to take the gloves off and bring the gags back in'. Show less «

[on the physicality of playing James Bond at age 47 for Spectre (2015)] Am I getting my kit off in this movie? Of course I'm getting my kit ...Show more »

[on the physicality of playing James Bond at age 47 for Spectre (2015)] Am I getting my kit off in this movie? Of course I'm getting my kit off! I seem to be bare-chested throughout this film again! Yes, I've been working out for six months. I work myself to death' to get fit. No secret method involved, just sheer hard graft. It's getting harder I will admit, but such is life. I'll keep going as long as I'm physically able. Show less «

[on how he looks upon his icon shot of Casino Royale (2006) where he walks out of the water] I don't look at it, weeping, going "Wasn't I be...Show more »

[on how he looks upon his icon shot of Casino Royale (2006) where he walks out of the water] I don't look at it, weeping, going "Wasn't I beautiful!" Everything like that has been a voyage of discovery. I was aware of what was needed to be Bond. I'm not the coolest human being. But playing James Bond, you have to be cool. That was a big accident, that particular shot. I was pretending to swim in shallow water and then I stood up and walked out of the water! I was pretending to be cool by swimming, I thought it looked stupid and stood up and I walked off - and that was the shot! Show less «

I've been working so hard, for however long it is I've been doing this, to try and stick to doing stuff I totally believe in and that would ...Show more »

I've been working so hard, for however long it is I've been doing this, to try and stick to doing stuff I totally believe in and that would be wiped out. I thought, God, this is all right: I'm doing what I want to do. And that was a huge weight off my shoulders" Show less «

This is what I do for a living. If I don't take on challenges like this, then what's the point?

[on the character of James Bond] Let's not forget that he's actually a misogynist. A lot of women are drawn to him chiefly because he embodi...Show more »

[on the character of James Bond] Let's not forget that he's actually a misogynist. A lot of women are drawn to him chiefly because he embodies a certain kind of danger and never sticks around for too long. Show less «

[on whether he would return for a fifth Bond movie]As far as I'm concerned, I've got the best job in the world. I'll keep doing it as long a...Show more »

[on whether he would return for a fifth Bond movie]As far as I'm concerned, I've got the best job in the world. I'll keep doing it as long as I still get a kick out of it.[October 2016] Show less «

[on why he said he'd rather slash his wrists than play James Bond again]It was the day after filming ended on Spectre. I'd been away from ho...Show more »

[on why he said he'd rather slash his wrists than play James Bond again]It was the day after filming ended on Spectre. I'd been away from home for a year.[October 2016] Show less «

[on whether or not continue to play James Bond] I were to stop doing it, I would miss it terribly.[October 2016]

[on whether to continue to portraying James Bond after Spectre]I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not a...Show more »

[on whether to continue to portraying James Bond after Spectre]I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That's fine. I'm over it at the moment. We're done. All I want to do is move on. Show less «