Daniel Craig, the former James Bond actor, was reportedly exasperated as he dodged a question about the possibility of a gay 007 at the Venice Film Festival.
The inquiry came during a press conference for his latest film, Queer, an LGBTQ+ drama directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Craig, who portrayed the iconic British spy in five films from 2006 to 2021, responded to the question with a laugh and a quiet: “I mean… please.”
Craig’s tenure as Bond began with Casino Royale in 2006 and concluded with No Time to Die in 2021, marking the end of his run as the suave secret agent.
Queer, Craig’s latest film, is based on a novel by William S Burroughs. Set in 1940s Mexico City, it follows William Lee (Craig), who experiences an intense attraction to American veteran Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey).
The film marks a collaboration between Craig and acclaimed director Guadagnino, known for Challengers and Call Me by Your Name and continues Craig’s openness to LGBTQ+ characters, following his portrayal of the gay detective Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out series.
Guadagnino praised Craig’s involvement, saying, “I have been an admirer of this gentleman for a long time… He’s one of the greatest actors. It’s a privilege to work with someone like him.”
The director initially doubted Craig would accept the role, but was pleasantly surprised by his enthusiastic response.
Guadagnino stepped in to address the question about a gay James Bond, saying, “Guys, let’s be an adult in the room for a second.
“There is no way around the fact that nobody would ever know James Bond’s desires, period. The important thing is that he does his missions properly.”
The director’s response cleverly sidestepped the issue whilst maintaining focus on the character’s professional duties. Notably, Craig’s portrayal of Bond in 2012’s Skyfall hinted at possible same-sex experiences during a tense scene with Javier Bardem’s villain.
Guadagnino’s comments also served to redirect attention to Craig’s current role in Queer, emphasising the actor’s versatility and willingness to take on diverse characters beyond his famous spy persona.
Elsewhere, Craig opened up about filming intimate scenes for Queer with co-star Drew Starkey. He told the press: “You know as well as I do, there’s nothing intimate about filming a sex scene on a movie set. There’s a room full of people watching you!”
The actor emphasised their aim to make the scenes as authentic as possible: “We just wanted to make it as touching and as real and as natural as we possibly could.”
Craig praised his co-star, describing Starkey as “a wonderful, fantastic, beautiful actor to work with”. He added that they approached the scenes with humour: “We kind of had a laugh. We tried to make it fun.”
While Craig has moved on from Bond, fans eagerly await news of the next 007 film. Eon Productions, which oversees the franchise, has yet to announce who will take up the iconic role.
However, reports have emerged that an announcement with details of Bond 26 could be on the way before the year is out.
The imminent announcement about the upcoming Bond film has been years in the making, with speculation rife about potential new leads.
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Craig’s departure from the series after No Time to Die in 2021 left big shoes to fill. His tenure saw the character evolve significantly, with more emotional depth and personal stakes.
Since his exit, several big names have been linked with the role of Bond, most notably Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
The Bullet Train and Kick-Ass star was reportedly offered the role earlier this year, but Eon soon rubbished these reports and confirmed there had been no official decision.
Meanwhile, new data has suggested Henry Cavill may be the “most likely” to land the role while the likes of Damson Idris, Theo James, James Norton and many more have also been tipped for the part.
