In Old News, A New Bond

Steve suggested I post this some time ago; I'm just getting around to it now.

I can't post the picture for some reason, but a simple internet search will likely turn one up if you're interested.

This article appeared in USA Today a while back, and was written by Cesar Soriano.

The 37-year-old English actor, little-known outside his native Britain, has officially been named the new James Bond, the first blond to portray the martini-swilling, woman-loving British secret agent.

His first assignment: Casino Royale, based on Ian Fleming's 1953 novel that first introduced the suave spy. The 21st Bond film begins shooting in January in Prague [hey... maybe I'll see some of that...] and is due for release Nov. 16, 2006.

"It's a huge challenge, a huge responsibility," Craig said at Friday's press conference in London. Bond "is a huge iconic figure in movie history. These opportunities don't come along very often so I thought, 'Why not?'"

Making a true Bond entrance, Craig arrived to the press conference aboard a British Marine speedboat up the Thames River, disembarked near the Tower Bridge and marched into the room to the well-known Bond theme song.

Craig was in Baltimore filming The Visiting with Nicole Kidman when he got the call that he had been chosen out of 200 actors who tried out for the part. "My first reaction was I needed a drink," he said.

In reality, the announcement was not a big surprise. Craig had been the long-favorite, and the future spy's cover was blown when his own mother blabbed to the family's hometown newspaper in Liverpool this week.

Craig, a film, theater and television actor, is best-known for his critically acclaimed role in the 2004 crime-thriller, Layer Cake. Other credits in his dossier include Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Road to Perdition and Sylvia. He will next be in Steven Spielberg's Munich, out Dec. 23, and Every Word is True with co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Sandra Bullock (Fall 2006).
The soft-spoken Craig recalled watching Bond films as a child. His favorite was Sean Connery's Goldfinger. "I have some big shoes to step into," he said. "I don't know any child who is not a Bond fan."

Craig is only the sixth actor to play James Bond, first portrayed by Connery in 1962's Dr. No. A seventh actor, David Nivens, played Bond in an unofficial, 1967 spoof film also called Casino Royale. The Nivens film, however, is rarely counted because it was a spoof and was filmed outside the official MGM series. MGM/Sony only recently acquired the rights to the book.
Craig takes over the role from Irishman Pierce Brosnan, 52, who played Bond in four films. Brosnan made headlines this week after he expressed disappointment that was not rehired, despite his own past comments that he no longer wanted the job.

Casino Royale director Martin Campbell, who also helmed the 1995 Bond film Goldeneye, said his film will be "definitely darker, more character, less gadgets." The "Bond Girl" has not yet been cast. Filmmakers also revealed that screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have already begun work on the next Bond film.