There are some fictional characters whose names shall forever remain etched in the hearts of the people. James Bond is one such character who has transcended the boundaries of time, and culture and holds a special place amongst fans. The British spy continues to be one of the hottest properties in the market. No wonder everyone is dying for a shot at portraying him. But Daniel Craig wasn’t one of them. The Flashbacks of a Fool star was close to leaving the James Bond franchise had it not been for one particular line.
Daniel Craig was not looking to work in James Bond
No matter the era, who is going to portray the iconic 007 piques everyone’s attention. Daniel Craig’s casting was no different. The Knives Out star began his stint all the way back in 2006 with Casino Royale. But it was not what Craig wanted at the time.
Craig has never shied away from the fact that he has always had his doubts about the franchise. Years down the line, the Archangel star revealed that he outright told the producers that he was not the right guy for the job. It took a lot of convincing to get him to accept the role in the first place.
What prompted Daniel Craig to accept the role?
The original plan was to make five Bond movies with Daniel Craig. But Craig had run out of gas after Spectre. His initial reluctance to play James Bond was a factor. An injury sustained in the course of a fight with Dave Bautista was also to blame. The Copenhagen star still ended up doing No Time to Die, just like he acquiesced the first time.
Why Craig chose to move forward with the role initially is a story in itself. Credit must be given to Producer Barbara Broccoli, who played her role by “bullying him” into accepting the role. But that was just a part of it. What prompted him to change his mind was the script.
What made Daniel Craig say yes to 007?
Daniel Craig was hellbent on not accepting the role of 007. He was adamant on seeing the script, in order to confirm that he wasn’t the right guy for the role. Fate had other plans. He happened to read a line that changed his mind. He recollected,
“I was sort of expecting it to be like this Bond script and I go, ‘yeah, it’s not really for me’… but it was Casino Royale and I mean it was just blinding, and when I read the line, you know ‘vodka, martini, shaken or stirred?’ ‘Do I look like I—’ and it was written in the script: ‘Do I look like I give a f**k. That was the line… and as soon as I read that I went oh shit, I mean how can I say no to this?” (Express)
The Ice House star was sold. And the rest, as we know, is history.
Source: Express
