The actor said he cried on his last day of shooting "No Time to Die," his fifth and final Bond film. How has Craig shaped Agent 007 over the past 15 years?
In 2016, Daniel Craig made his debut as James Bond in 'Casino Royale'Image: Imago/Cinema Publishers Collection
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From Connery to Craig: James Bond through the ages
His name is Bond, James Bond. While the name hasn't changed, Daniel Craig's 007 has undergone a radical transformation. Here's a look back at the men who were on Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Image: Imago/Cinema Publishers Collection
Immortalized in wax
From chauvinist to antihero: The movie version of 007 has been on Her Majesty's Service for almost 60 years. The creators have repeatedly reinvented the character, adapting Bond to the spirit of the times. In Berlin's Madame Tussauds wax museum, you can admire all six actors who have played Bond (from l-r): Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, George Lazenby and Pierce Brosnan.
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The original James Bond: Sean Connery
For many, the Scotsman born in 1930 embodied the true spirit of James Bond. He played Agent 007 for the first time in 1962, hunting down Dr. No. Fun Fact: Author Ian Fleming, Bond's creator, initially found Connery too "coarse and peasant-like." That was until he saw him onscreen for the first time. Connery played the super-spy seven times, and helped make the series a worldwide success.
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Bond: the womanizer
New viewers may find the initial Bonds a little behind time. Connery's Bond was a chauvinist who had several women fawning over him in every film. Resistance was often futile. Cary Fukunaga, director of the newest Bond film, pointed out in an interview with "The Hollywood Reporter" that some scenes were rape. "She says, 'No, no, no,' and he says, 'Yes, yes, yes.' That wouldn't work today."
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The model Bond: George Lazenby
Sean Connery left big shoes to fill. Australian George Lazenby played 007 only once in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969). The former model however failed to convince producers and audiences. For "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971), Sean Connery returned to Her Majesty's service for a record fee.
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The humorous Bond: Roger Moore
Roger Moore, seen here (right) in "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974), was just as popular with Bond fans as Sean Connery. With his smug humor and casual elegance, Moore's secret agent was less brutal than his predecessor's. However, he was very much the ladies' man, with women pandering to Bond's advances in all the seven films he starred in.
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The tough Bond: Timothy Dalton
Theater and film actor Timothy Dalton's Bond was much drier and humorless than his predecessors. Although "The Living Daylights" was a box office hit in 1987, "Licence to Kill" failed to match this success two years later. Thus the Welshman dropped out because of licensing disputes after only two films.
Pierce Brosnan's Bond through the 1990s channeled the spirit of the 1950s. Always smartly dressed, smooth and handsome, he possessed neither Connery's raw masculinity, nor Moore's humor. Nevertheless, the Irishman was a hit with the public and played Agent 007 five times.
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The vulnerable Bond: Daniel Craig
When Daniel Craig first stepped into the role of the double agent in 2006, he raised eyebrows: James Bond nursing a broken heart? Complete with flaws, doubts and real feelings? Craig ushered in a new era for 007, and his four outings as Bond have all been box office hits. Not surprisingly, fans are eagerly awaiting his fifth and final film, "No Time to Die."
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In an interview with Time Out magazine London in 2015, Daniel Craig said that he would rather slit his wrists than play James Bond again.
A few negotiations and a handsome paycheck later, the actor changed his mind and accepted to portray Agent 007 for the fifth and final time in No Time To Die.
Craig first played Bond in Casino Royale in 2006. His portrayal of the secret agent invented by author Ian Fleming caused astonishment. Bond was nursing a broken heart, and his past was suddenly an issue in the film.
This blond and chest-hair-free Bond didn't quite fit the image many associated with the character's previous avatars famously played by actors Sean Connery and Roger Moore. Even the role of Bond's superior, M, was given for the first time to a woman — Judy Dench.
This repackaging proved successful.
Two years later, Craig returned to the screen for Quantum of Solace. The film featured far fewer special effects than its predecessor, and also does without the usual bells and whistles typically provided by weapons expert Q in the movies.
The storyline is elegant, and Craig portrays a rather mirthless Bond struggling with his personal demons as well as real-life villains.
James Bond premiere boasts glitz on the red carpet
Agent 007 is known for saving the world, but can he save cinema? Daniel Craig celebrated his final Bond outing with the royals and Billie Eilish.
Image: Henry Nicholls/REUTERS
A time to celebrate
A long-delayed event due to the pandemic: The 25th film in the James Bond series and Daniel Craig's final outing as 007, "No Time to Die" finally celebrated its world premiere in London on Tuesday. It marks the end of an era for the actor who first portrayed the iconic British secret agent in 2006. He is shown here with co-stars Lashana Lynch and Lea Seydoux, along with director Cary Fukunaga.
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Like a dream
Showing up at the Royal Albert Hall in a pink velvet jacket, Craig looked just as suave as the spy he's portrayed in five movies. With the release of "No Time To Die" delayed three times, Craig was relieved to finally see it happen. "A year ago, this was just a dream. It didn't look like we'd get here," he said. "But we have and I'm just happy that we're here and we can celebrate with everybody."
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Breaking a 'Bond girl' tradition
"It's been such a crazy time for all of us. And now to celebrate, you know, with this film, to reunite. And it's great. I'm really happy," said Lea Seydoux at the premiere. Bond was renowned for his fleeting romantic conquests, but now 007 seems ready to settle down for the first time. In "No Time To Die," Seydoux returns in the role of French psychologist Madeleine Swann from "Spectre."
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Promoting British soft power in times of crisis
"The standard bearer of British soft power is back," writes "Guardian" critic Peter Bradshaw. The initial release date was in April 2020, when the UK was stockpiling toilet paper; now, as fuel pumps remain dry in the country, the British royals made a rare public appearance, with Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall gracing the red carpet.
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On Her Majesty's secret service
Prince Charles shook hands with Daniel Craig as part of the royal family's long tradition of attending Bond premieres. Queen Elizabeth greeted 007 actor Sean Connery at the premiere of "You Only Live Twice" in 1967. Princess Diana eventually took over hand-shaking duties, while adding glitz to the premieres with her outstanding gowns.
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Shining stars
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, who channeled Bond girl glamor in a glitzy gown designed by Jenny Packham, meets Billie Eilish, dressed in shimmering black. The superstar wrote and recorded the theme song for "No Time to Die" in three days. Even though Eilish is the youngest artist to have written and sung a James Bond theme, hers is the first by a female singer to top UK charts.
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Dame Judi Dench
Whether in Shakespearean dramas or in James Bond films, British actor Judi Dench is renowned for her outstanding performances. From "GoldenEye" in 1995 to "Spectre" in 2015, where she appears posthumously in a video will, she portrayed James Bond's boss, M. When her character died at the end of "Skyfall" (2012), Dench was succeeded by Ralph Fiennes.
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Thrilling yet funny
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the creator of "Fleabag" and "Killing Eve," was brought in by producer Barbara Broccoli to spice up the script. Even though Waller-Bridge says she only tweaked the storyline a bit, Daniel Craig is among the fans of her work. "Her influence permeates a lot of this film. She walked that fantastic line of keeping it as a thriller and being very funny," he told Radio Times.
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First Black female 007
Lashana Lynch made history by becoming the first Black woman to assume the role of Agent 007, as Bond retires in "No Time To Die." Despite the backlash she has faced on social media, the star is strengthened by the importance of her role. "I just have to remind myself that the conversation is happening and that I'm a part of something that will be very, very revolutionary," she told "Bazaar UK."
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Reflecting the sign of the times
Skyfall (2012), directed by Sergio Mendes, also saw the return of the agent's Aston Martin DB5 car that previously featured in Goldfinger (1964) and Fireball (1965), equipped with the necessary extras by a nerdier Q, played by actor Ben Whishaw, best known from his lead role in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006). And Miss Moneypenny is also back, played by Black British actress, Naomie Harris.
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In 'No Time to Die' James Bond drives an Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante — a throwback to 'The Living Daylights' from 1987Image: Universal Pictures/picture alliance/dpa
In Spectre (2015), Bond's personal story reaches its conclusion. In the films featuring Craig, the secret agent's past — the loss of his parents, growing up with a foster father — became an important storyline for the first time in the history of the series. His Bond is human: He loves, suffers and, in contrast to earlier versions, is not invulnerable. Thus, he better fits the image of today's male.
Craig's Bond also has a different relationship with women. He still has various dalliances, but the ladies are no longer unquestioningly submissive to him. This starts with his female superior and ends with the women he falls in love with — and who ultimately break his heart.
A doomed love: Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) breaks 007's heart in 'Casino Royale'Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Sony Pictures
The chauvinism, as once embodied by Sean Connery, would also be unthinkable in today's world, remarked Cary Fukunaga, the director of the current Bond in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "Is it Thunderball or Goldfinger where basically Sean Connery's character rapes a woman? She says, 'No, no, no,' and he says, 'Yes, yes, yes.' That wouldn't work today."
Thus, the 25th Bond film received the female touch in the form of Phoebe Waller-Bridge as one of the film's screenwriters. The film will premiere in London on Tuesday, after being postponed three times due to the COVID pandemic.
Taking time to celebrate Craig
Fans are eagerly awaiting the Craig finale, because despite the long wait, no significant details have been leaked. Producer Barbara Broccoli said that they are not currently looking for a successor. "We want to take the time to celebrate Daniel Craig," Broccoli told the film magazine HeyUGuys.
In the run-up to the film, rumors have swirled about possible new Bonds with Idris Elba and Tom Hardy being suggested as possible successors. A rumor of casting a woman as 007 also made its rounds.
Craig himself sees little point in this. "There should simply be better roles for women and PoC actors." If there were equally prestigious roles like that of James Bond for women, the question would be superfluous, he added.
In the end, whoever succeeds the Brit, it's certain that the most human of all the Bonds to date will leave big shoes to fill.
What it's like to travel the world with James Bond
Spectacular locations play an important role in the latest 007 movie, just as they have since the first Bond film in 1962. Here are some of our favorite locations.
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Ocho Rios, Jamaica — 'Dr. No'
Jamaica is a good starting point for a Bond trip around the world. Author Ian Fleming wrote many of his novels about the British secret agent while in Jamaica. Ocho Rios also served as the backdrop for the spectacular appearance of Swiss actress Ursula Andress as 007's love interest in the first Bond film, "Dr. No" in 1962.
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Andermatt, Switzerland — 'Goldfinger'
In the third film of the series, James Bond pursues his adversary on a high alpine pass road near Andermatt. It provided the perfect opportunity for Sean Connery to drive his Aston Martin, which has become the most famous Bond car of all. His nemesis, Goldfinger, played by German actor Gert Fröbe, is driven through the mountains in a Rolls-Royce.
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Schilthorn, Piz Gloria, Switzerland — 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'
What could be a more stunning location than a futuristic restaurant overlooking the Alps? At the time of filming the sixth Bond film in 1969, starring George Lazenby as 007, the revolving eatery on the 2,970-meter-high (9,744 feet) Schilthorn mountain had just been completed. In the film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" it serves as a hideout for Bond villain Blofeld.
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Khao Phing Kan, Thailand — 'The Man with the Golden Gun'
In the south of Thailand in the Andaman Sea lies Ko Tapu, a 20-meter-high (65-foot) rock formation. Today, the limestone column is often referred to as James Bond Island thanks to Bond actor Roger Moore, who made it famous in the 1974 film "The Man with the Golden Gun." Incidentally, Christopher Lee, who played Bond's antagonist Scaramanga, was actually related to James Bond author Ian Fleming.
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Eiffel Tower, Paris, France — 'A View to a Kill'
The Eiffel Tower is one of the main landmarks featuring in the seventh and last film starring Roger Moore as James Bond. In the 1985 movie "A View to a Kill," he chases Grace Jones up the Eiffel Tower before she escapes via parachute. The subsequent chase, in which Bond races through the streets of Paris in a stolen Renault, features other touristic highlights in the French capital.
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Contra dam, Tessin, Switzerland — 'GoldenEye'
Even in Bond films, locations are not always what they seem. In 1995, in the first Bond film with Pierce Brosnan, Switzerland's Contra dam, also known as the Verzasca dam, served as a backdrop for a bungee jump into a Soviet chemical weapons factory. Shortly after the film's release, the dam became a popular destination for bungee jumpers.
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Hotel Atlantic, Hamburg, Germany — 'Tomorrow Never Dies'
Only the best hotels will do for 007, and among them is Hamburg's legendary Hotel Atlantic. In the 1997 film "Tomorrow Never Dies," starring Pierce Brosnan, the hotel is the setting for a love scene which, as so often in Bond films, ends tragically. However, the hotel was only filmed from the outside, while a British golf club was used as the setting for the interior.
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Loket, Czech Republic — 'Casino Royale'
In 2006, Daniel Craig played James Bond for the first time. While the main setting for the showdown with his adversary in "Casino Royale" is in Montenegro, most of the filming was done in the Czech Republic. Scenic towns including Karlovy Vary and Loket (pictured) serve as backdrops to the action flick.
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Bregenz, Austria — 'Quantum of Solace'
Opera and theater stages are also popular filming locations in Bond movies. James Bond crashes a secret meeting of international criminals at the Bregenz Festival in the 2008 film "Quantum of Solace," killing adversaries. The action takes place during a performance of the tragic opera "Tosca," held on the world's largest floating stage, the Seebühne Bregenz.
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Pinewood Studios, London, England — 'Skyfall'
While James Bond is certainly a world traveler, his home is London. In the 50th anniversary year of the Bond series, the British capital plays a particularly prominent role. MI6's headquarters on the River Thames are destroyed in a terrorist attack, and the organization must relocate. Much of the movie was filmed in London's massive Pinewood Film Studios (pictured).
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Matera, Italy — 'No Time to Die'
The release of the latest Bond film, "No Time to Die" was postponed several times due to production constraints and the global pandemic. It was supposed to be released in 2019, the year the Italian city of Matera was European Capital of Culture. The city's district of Sassi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves as a setting for a fast-paced chase scene.
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