You would think that after almost two decades in the role of James Bond, actor Daniel Craig wouldn’t need that many notes when it comes to his performance as 007. But when recently reflecting upon his time in the tuxedo, including his swan song in No Time To Die, there actually was a note that he kept getting while in the zone. And believe it or not, it was all about something as simple as keeping his mouth closed.
The subject came up during Daniel Craig’s recent sit down for Ali Plumb’s BBC special Becoming…Bond: A Daniel Craig Special. As Plumb and the outgoing 007 talked about the unbelievable degree of cool that comes with playing James Bond, he got curious about what sort of direction collaborators, like No Time To Die’s director Cary Joji Fukunaga, would give to Craig on the set. In his trademark wit and humor, Daniel Craig admitted the following frequent direction, and the reason why he’d always get it:
Close your mouth. It’s difficult because — you probably can tell — I’m a bit giggly and I kind of like to have a laugh. I hope you can tell that! And I kind of like to do that on set. There’s a moment to do that, and I would laugh all the way through it if I could. I think sometimes I’ve gotta … get a bit more serious. … I think that’s the best note you could get really, ‘more Bond, less Bond.’
While the character of James Bond has been starkly more serious than most of his classic counterparts, as you can see above Daniel Craig as an actor is always game for a laugh. So it was probably a delight to see No Time To Die offer him not only deeper emotional stakes to examine, but also a lot more humor than his previous films have entailed. Even with that in mind, one could imagine certain moments of tender dialogue between Craig and co-star Léa Seydoux slightly interrupted by a moment of the actor’s charm peeking out of his James Bond armor.
It’s also no shock to see why Daniel Craig has taken to projects like Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky and Rian Johnson’s Knives Out with exceptional relish. His sense of humor has radiated throughout projects like those, and with his role of Benoit Blanc leading him to two Netflix backed sequels, Mr. Craig’s funny bone will get quite a workout in his post James Bond career. Though thinking back to Daniel Craig getting notes on the set of his various James Bond movies is even funnier when you think back to one of his first moments as a 00-agent from Casino Royale:
Looking at how No Time To Die closed off his 007 arc of intense continuity, drama, and emotion, that kind of thinking feels like a well earned vacation for Daniel Craig. Throughout 15 years of playing the legendary blunt instrument for Her Majesty’s secret service, the man has seen himself stoic throughout every villainous plot and unfortunate injury. Now, with all of that behind him, Daniel Craig can have all the laughs he wants, as well as dispense all the 00-wisdom he can dish out to whomever steps into his shoes next.
Still making its money in theatrical release, No Time To Die is very likely playing in a theater near you. Meanwhile, there’s no date for when the first of Daniel Craig’s next Benoit Blanc mysteries with Rian Johnson will reveal themselves. But if you’re looking for what you can count on when heading out to the movies throughout the remainder of this year, the 2021 release schedule has the answers you seek.