Casino Royale co-stars Daniel Craig and Eva Green are treading the red carpet together again, but this time it's not in honour of 007 but their new children's fantasy flick The Golden Compass. The photogenic pair pitched up in Cannes this week where preview scenes from the £75-million movie, which also stars Nicole Kidman, were shown to a select audience.
If successful it will enjoy two sequels, all based on the Northern Lights trilogy by author Philip Pullman, and early responses indicate it could earn the same following as that enjoyed by Lord Of The Rings. Daniel is a fan of the books, which feature a parallel universe where people's souls take the shape of pets who follow them around. "Like with Tolkein, there's something about them that's beyond the fantasy," the 39-year-old actor told reporters. "its not just about witches and elves. It is a story about true feelings.
Daniel and Eva's roles are rather different to the tragic lovers they played in the latest Bond movie. Blue-eyed Daniel, who is currently sporting a short beard, portrays Lord Asriel - a mysterious adventurer who is uncle to the story's central character - 12-year-old Lyra. Eva, meanwhile, plays a witch who helps Lyra as she travels around the world to find her best friend.
They were joined at Monday's screening by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, a Surrey schoolgirl who beat 10,000 other candidates to the coveted part of Lyra. The first-time actress says she's attracted to her character's bravery and mischievousness. "When somebody tells her not to do something, then her first instinct is to go and do it - which I quite like," she said.
If Daniel was concerned about being typecast by the James Bond role - which he reprises in November 2008 - he's certainly going the right way about avoiding it. While the actor is at Cannes it's been announced he's to appear in Flashbacks Of A Fool as a fading film star who returns to Britain for the funeral of his childhood best friend. He's also been lensing new comedy I, Lucifer in which he plays Satan.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
