Daniel Craig is now best known to audiences as Bond, James Bond, but for years the classically trained actor was only known to British audiences.
Who is Daniel Craig?
Born in Chester on March 2, 1968, to parents Tim Craig, a former merchant seaman turned pub landlord, and art teacher Carol, Daniel Wroughton grew up in Liverpool after his parents split up in 1972. Just six when he caught the acting bug, he was soon appearing in school plays, encouraged by his mother who arranged visits to Liverpool's Everyman Theatre.
In his early teens the budding actor had already decided where his career lay and at 16 he left Wirral's Hilbre High School to audition for the National Youth Theatre. He was accepted, and moved to London where his proud parents watched his stage debut as Agamemnon in the Shakespearean classic Troilus And Cressida.
After touring Europe and Russia with the Theatre, supplementing his income by working as a waiter, in 1988 he won a place at the Guidhall School of Music and Drama. Fellow classmates during his three-year stint at the prestigious academy were Ewan McGregor and Joseph Fiennes.
What films has Daniel Craig been in?
Daniel's film career received a kick-start with a role in The Power Of One. But it was his role as Geordie Peacock in the 1996 TV series Our Friends In The North that really got him noticed.
Daniel then set his sights on Hollywood with supporting roles in 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider alongside Angelina Jolie and the acclaimed Road To Perdition in 2002, in which he teamed up with Tom Hanks.
Two years later he turned in a star turn as the lead in critically acclaimed gangster flick Layer Cake.
He was cast as James Bond in 2005 and played the iconic screen star for over 12 years. But he has also kept his work varied, appearing in films across the last almost 20 years including Munich, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Logan Lucky.
In 2019 he starred in Rian Johnson's now cult classic detective flick Knives Out, whose sequel was released in 2022.
When did Daniel Craig become James Bond?
Over a period of two years more than 200 actors, including Hugh Jackman and Clive Owen, were considered for the iconic role before 37-year-old Daniel landed it. There was mixed reaction over the choice of the ruggedly handsome blonde. But, before his first effort even hit the screens, Bond producers were impressed enough to offer him a contract to play the spy again.
"It's a huge challenge," he admitted at the time. "Life is about challenges and this is one of the big ones as an actor." While significant parts in American blockbusters The Jacket and Spielberg's Munich had started to cement his growing star status, the role as James Bond marked a new beginning on the A-list for the determinately un-starry actor.
What was Daniel Craig salary for James Bond?
Reportedly, Daniel earned $3.2 million for Casino Royale, $7.2 million for Quantum of Solace, $20 million for Skyfall, $30 million for Spectre, and $25 million for No Time to Die, bringing his total for the five Bond films to $85.4 million.
Why is Daniel Craig leaving 007?
Daniel chose to leave the franchise behind in 2015 after Spectre. He broke his leg while filming and endured arthroscopic surgery. "I had to question myself: Was I physically capable of doing [another one] or did I want to do another one? Because that phone call to your wife saying 'I've broken my leg' is not pleasant," he said at the time.
He then asked producers to kill Bond off, in order for him to "move on". His Bond died at the end of No Time To Die, and producers have yet to announce a new actor to reboot the decades-long franchise.
Are Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz still married?
Daniel's love life could be the subject of a film itself.
A year after graduating from the Guildhall School of Drama he married Scottish actress Fiona Loudon who gave birth to their daughter Ella in 1992. Their marriage broke down after two years, and he later began dating German-born actress Heike Makatsch, who played Alan Rickman's secretary in the film Love Actually.
After seven years their relationship ended, and rumours surfaced of a fling with his friend Kate Moss. Following a brief affair with Layer Cake co-star Sienna Miller - at the time patching up her relationship his pal Jude Law - Daniel embarked on a long-term romance with Satsuki Mitchell - to whom he was engaged for five years.
At the end of 2010, it emerged that Daniel and Satsuki had ended their relationship, and the actor was quickly linked to his Dream House co-star Rachel Weisz. She had announced her split from her fiance - and father of her son - director Darren Aronofsky in November of that year, and Daniel and Rachel were spotted celebrating Christmas together the following month.
In June 2011, the silver screen stars shocked fans with the news they had tied the knot. They became husband and wife in a very secret ceremony in New York with only four guests in attendance, including Rachel's son and Daniel's daughter.
They welcomed a daughter in September 2018.
