Daniel Craig Poses Shirtless For GQ, Reflects On Final James Bond Film

Daniel Craig is taking a look back at his time as the world’s most famous spy.

While posing shirtless in GQ for their latest cover story, the British actor, 52, recalled his last day of filming “No Time Left to Die” — his fifth and final James Bond film — and spoke about why he almost walked away from the action flick.

Craig, who was 37 when he was cast as Bond, has previously opened up about his hesitation to take on the famous role, which has been played by six actors, including Pierce Brosnan and Sean Connery.

“I could be anonymous in the world. It was genuinely like, my life is going to get f–ked if I do this,” Craig told GQ of his initial thoughts when first offered the role that has since defined his career. “It was literally like, ‘F–k off. I don’t f–king want this. How dare you? How dare you offer this to me? It’s just ludicrous. But it was all self defense.”

After starring in four successful Bond films — “Casino Royale” (2006), “Quantum of Solace” (2008), “Skyfall” (2012), and “Spectre” (2015) — Craig almost walked away from the franchise, saying he felt “physically really low.”

Lachlan Bailey/GQ

“I was never going to do one again,” Craig admitted. “I was like, ‘Is this work really genuinely worth this, to go through this, this whole thing?’ And I didn’t feel…I felt physically really low. So the prospect of doing another movie was just like, it was off the cards. And that’s why it has been five years.”

Craig, who redefined the role of 007, spoke about how he developed Bond’s psyche.

“He is really f–king dark. I think it’s more interesting,” the actor explained. “I know we can’t have him having amphetamines and speed and doing all these things. But inside, I know I’m doing that. And I wanted to inform the part and say that’s what he is. He’s kind of a f–k-up. Because this job would f–k you up.”

“The biggest ideas are the best,” he added. “And the biggest ideas are love and tragedy and loss. They just are, and that’s what I instinctively want to aim for.”

Although his time as Bond has come to an end, Craig expressed that he’s looking forward to what’s next.

“I’m really…I’m okay,” he said. “I don’t think I would have been if I’d done the last film and that had been it. But this, I’m like…Let’s go. Let’s get on with it. I’m fine.”

“No Time Left to Die,” which also stars Rami Malek and Ana de Armas, was originally set to be released in April — which Craig’s GQ cover seemed to coincide with — but now won’t hit theaters until November due to the coronavirus outbreak.

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