It has been said many times before and will probably continue to be said, Daniel Craig was a James Bond like no other. While maintaining the originality and authenticity of the mythos, he added his own subtle touch to the character, making it more his than a ‘shared’ one. Thanks to his rugged looks and British charm, Craig was exceptional in all of Bond movies.
However, it wasn’t only his British charm or ruggedness that made him bag the character. It was also his acting in one of his most underrated roles in Steven Spielberg’s movie, Munich, that helped him become 007.
Daniel Craig Got His James Bond Role Due To A Steven Spielberg Movie
Daniel Craig starred in the acclaimed Steven Spielberg movie Munich, based on real-life events about the Munich massacre during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Germany. Playing a secret operative, Craig’s performance was remarkable and was well-received by audiences and critics alike.
While his role solidified his reputation as a talented actor, it was also pivotal in him bagging his James Bond role. In an interview with The Empire, the director of Casino Royale, Martin Campbell stated,
“He’s a very fine actor… He’s got an edge to him, I think… And to be honest, he fitted the Casino Royale Bond so much better than the other actors we saw. I mean, the image we have of Bond is false, it’s almost entirely created by the movies. If you read the books, there’s no humour. The guy smokes and drinks. He has doubts about himself. And Daniel can do that. He was very good in Munich. Even though I wasn’t a big fan of the film, I thought he was one of the best things in it – and he barely opened his mouth.”
Thanks to his ‘mute’ role in the movie, fans got a version of Bond that became much more rugged and accurate than the other versions.
Also Read: Steven Spielberg Said No to Working With Tom Hanks in a Hearttouching Gesture For His Sister
Daniel Craig Was Afraid Of Performing James Bond Stunts
Just before the production of his first ever James Bond movie, Daniel Craig was somewhat afraid of performing the many chilling action sequences of the movie. However, despite his lead actor getting cold feet, Martin Campbell was okay with it as he stated in his interview with The Empire,
“Daniel’s not a typical action man and there was quite a learning curve for him to do it, to psychologically get into it. Action is not easy. You know, you have to acquire a lot of technique to do it. It’s not like playing the scene, where the psychology and the subtext of the scene is everything. It’s much more about applying yourself to the actual mechanics of action. But I think you’ll be impressed with his fighting skills.”
Just as Campbell stated, fans and critics were certainly elated to witness Daniel Craig as an action star, and soon enough, he was a fan-favorite Bond.
The James Bond franchise can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
Source: The Empire
