Daniel Craig shares emotional, physical toll of playing James Bond

Craig says he couldn't have taken on Queer movie if he was still playing James Bond, reflecting on his departure

Daniel Craig has revealed that playing James Bond took a serious emotional and physical toll on him, admitting that he often felt "empty" and "exhausted" after filming each of his Bond movies. Speaking to The Sunday Times over the weekend, the 56-year-old actor shared how the role, which spanned five films from 2006 to 2021, drained him emotionally.

"I was becoming a star, whatever that means, and people wanted me in their films," Craig said. "Incredible. But they left me empty. Then, bottom line, I got paid."

Reflecting on his departure from the franchise, Craig explained that he could not have taken on his new role in the upcoming film Queer had he still been playing the iconic British spy. The movie, directed by Luca Guadagnino, is based on William Burroughs' semi-autobiographical novella and is set in 1950s Mexico City. Craig stars as William Lee, a war veteran involved in a romance with a younger man, played by Drew Starkey.

"I couldn’t have done this [Queer] while doing Bond. It would look reactionary, like I was showing my range," Craig admitted. "I was so exhausted at the end of a Bond [film] it would take me six months to recover emotionally."

Despite the exhaustion, Craig remains fond of the Bond franchise. He expressed curiosity about where the producers, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, will take the series next but added, "Who the next Bond is, isn’t my decision or problem. I wish them good luck."

The actor also looked back on Quantum of Solace (2008), where he famously ended up "writing a lot of lines" after the production started without a completed script. "It was a f***ing nightmare," Craig said. "We should never have started production. I ended up writing a lot of that film, which I probably shouldn’t say."

On the subject of becoming Bond, Craig admitted that he initially turned down the role out of fear it would limit his future career opportunities. "There wasn’t a script at the time, so again, my arrogance was unbelievable, but I was just like, 'Until I see a script, I couldn’t possibly make a decision,'" he said. "But it was really one of those things where – I mean, to be typecast as James Bond? Boo-hoo."

Craig's reflections on his Bond journey come as he continues to take on varied roles, including Queer, in which he is set to showcase a different side of his acting abilities.