Daniel Craig dodges question about his homosexuality while promoting his new romantic film
Daniel Craig dodges a question about the possibility of a gay incarnation of James Bond while promoting his new film, Queer. After actor Pierce Brosnan retired as Ian Fleming’s iconic British superspy, Craig became 007 in 2006 with the critically acclaimed Casino Royale. Craig starred in a total of five Bond films and finally bid farewell to the franchise with the explosive finale of No Time To Die in 2021.
During a press conference for Queer (via THR), his new collaboration with director Luca Guadagnino, a reporter asks Craig if there could ever be a gay Bond. Before Craig has a chance to respond, Guadagnino offers his own response, stating that 007’s ability to accomplish his mission is all that really matters before changing his answer to talk about Craig’s casting as Lee in Queer.
“Guys, let’s be adults for a second. There’s no getting around the fact that no one will ever know what James Bond wants, period. The important thing is that he fulfills his missions properly. That said, I have been an admirer of this gentleman for a long time… I had this intuition that I stifled within myself because I am a pragmatist. You have to make movies; you can’t daydream.
“A gentleman who was in the casting room was the one who was not pragmatic and he said to me: ‘What about Daniel Craig?’ I said, ‘I thought about him, but he’s never going to say yes.’ And he said, ‘Let’s ask him.’ And he said yes. And the yes was a resounding yes, he’s one of the best actors. It is a privilege to work with someone like him.”
What Guadagnino’s response means for the James Bond franchise
The first Bond book was published in 1953 with Casino Royale, and the first film in the franchise, Dr. No, came nine years later. In all of Fleming’s novels and all of the subsequent films, Bond has been a straight man, and his womanizing persona has been a major part of the character. Although Craig’s version of the character evolved to be more appropriate in the current cultural landscape, such as giving him more long-term love interests, Bond remains largely the same character he’s always been.
With Bond 26 announced on the horizon, franchise producer Barbara Broccoli has said the next 007 will be a “total reinvention.” There have been calls to introduce a black Bond or a female Bond, but any major changes to the character at this point are likely to be controversial. While some popular candidates for Bond are black, such as Idris Elba and Regé-Jean Page, changing the character to a woman or reimagining him as gay would likely be more divisive as it fundamentally changes the character.
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