Daniel Craig is "enjoying" acting "more than ever" since quitting as James Bond.
The 57-year-old actor starred in five 007 movies between 2006 and 2021 when he bowed out with his final Bond movie No Time to Die and he's now insisted he's much happier with his career now he's moved on from the superspy franchise.
He told Radio Times magazine: "I suppose I started freeing myself up from any convention. I’m not saying no to things that I might have been a little bit wary about before.
"When the Bond thing was going on in my life, the juxtaposition between that and another role would sometimes feel self-conscious.
"I’m working harder than I ever have, but I’m also just enjoying it more than I ever have. I get to do really interesting, different stuff."
Since leaving Bond behind, Craig starred in two more Knives Out sequels - Glass Onion and Wake Up Dead Man - as well as 2024 drama Queer.
Craig previously described playing Bond as a "drag" and declared he would rather "slash" his wrists than make another.
Speaking to Time Out magazine as he prepared for the release of 2015 instalment Spectre, Craig said: "It’s a drag. The best acting is when you’re not concerned about the surface. And Bond is the opposite of that. You have to be bothered about how you’re looking. It’s a struggle."
When asked about reprising the role for a fifth movie, Craig replied: "Now? I’d rather break this glass and slash my wrists. No, not at the moment. Not at all. That’s fine. I’m over it at the moment. We’re done. All I want to do is move on."
He went on to add: "If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money."
Craig was asked if he cares about who takes over as 007 after he steps down and he replied: "Look, I don’t give a f***. Good luck to them!
"All I care about is that if I stop doing these things we’ve left it in a good place and people pick it up and make it better. Make it better, that’s all."
