Being a Hollywood star is not all about glitz and glamour. When it comes to doing their own stunt, some stars like Daniel Craig go all in to do their part. They put in a lot of effort to make their performances authentic and exciting.
Craig is known for his portrayal of a suave spy, James Bond, in several films—beginning with Casino Royale. The Hollywood star has done a lot of his own stunts in his James Bond movies, especially the tough fight and chase scenes.
The 55-year-old enjoyed doing many of his own stunts, and it wasn’t only limited to the James Bond movies. He has also showcased his chops in other movies beyond the franchise.
Daniel Craig’s Life Hung in the Balance in a Movie Stunt
Starring Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a psychological thriller movie. In the film Craig’s performance was heavily praised and felt like the character truly belonged to him.
To truly give an authentic performance, the actor had actually lost consciousness while pretending to suffocate during a scene as the cameras rolled.
In one scene from the film, the English actor pretended to lose consciousness after his head was pushed into a plastic bag. He was handed a metal object to hold. If he really passed out, it would fall to the floor.
When the director heard the clunk, they realized that the James Bond actor had actually stopped breathing. That’s when they quickly lowered him down from the hoist.
The James Bond star, however, later confirmed that the incident was all part of the filmmaking process (via IMDb). “It was just another day working with David Fincher!” Craig said.
The Most Dangerous Stunt in the James Bond Franchise Performed by Daniel Craig
To date, Daniel Craig’s crane chase in Casino Royale (2006) has been watched 28 million times on YouTube, and it’s no surprise why.
Many consider Casino Royale to be the best Bond film ever, largely due to Craig’s outstanding performance. It rebooted the franchise, introducing a whole new world of Bond with its compelling storyline and gritty, realistic tone, breathing new life into the Bond formula.
The Chester native, who is afraid of heights, had to take deep breaths during the crane chase scene in the film. Nevertheless, he had also bravely jumped out of a three-story window onto a moving bus in Quantum of Solace.
So far, Craig has lost his two front teeth and went with operations on his shoulder, ankle, and both knees.
While James Bond is renowned for bungee jumping off a dam or engaging in fistfights on a cargo net hanging from a Hercules, his real-life counterpart has different interests.
When asked in an interview on On Demand Entertainment, if he spends his free time hanging off the side of a train or flying jets for fun, Craig quipped, “Yeah, my hobby is skydiving – it’s not. I wish I could say that. It’s macrame.”
Watch The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Casino Royale on Prime Video.
