James Bond is not the kind of man to shy away from a challenge. And it would seem Daniel Craig is cut from the same cloth as the charismatic spy after he charmed a throng of fans gathered outside the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square for the premiere of his new flick.
In the past the hunky actor has confessed to feeling nervous at public events. But he had obviously conquered any sense of shyness as he went for a lengthy walkabout, chatting with fans and helping them snap pictures.
Casino Royale's leading man was equally composed when he and his co-stars were presented to the Queen inside the glitzy event shortly afterwards.
While it's not known what Her Majesty thought of her new fictional secret service agent, Daniel certainly seems to have made an impresson on his gorgeous co-stars, who were keen to heap praise on the 38-year-old 007 star. French actress Eva Green, who dazzled the crowd in a deep blue velvet gown by British fashion maestro Alexander McQueen, said he would easily confound any critics, while Italian siren Caterina Murino declared him "simply perfect".
Dame Judi Dench, who reprises her role as Secret Service boss M, seemed a little surprised when she was asked whether she agreed he was the sexiest Bond ever, though. "I'm old enough to be his grandmother," she reminded the questioner with a smile.
The man at the centre of everyone's attention was meanwhile doing his best to keep both feet on the ground. "I can't explain how this feels," said the blond star, who was accompanied by his real life girlfriend Satsuki Mitchell. "It's fantastic. I'm just very excited. These things happen once in a lifetime and I'm just trying to enjoy it."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
