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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Lucy Needham

Daniel Craig's 7 year relationship with Love Actually star before Rachel Weisz marriage

After Daniel Craig gave his final performance as James Bond in last year's No Time To Die, excitement is now building for the next big star to be announced in the iconic role.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the leading favourite, with rumours rife that the 32-year-old has already been screen-tested and filmed he iconic gun barrel teaser scene.

And one person who will be very glad to see a new face on screen is the last Bond himself.

After some grumbling about the pressures of the job, Daniel cleared up rumours he'd hated his time as the famous agent, as he described being part of the franchise 'one of the great joys' in his life.

No doubt also top of that list will be Daniel's wife Rachel Weisz, who he reportedly met at university.

Before settling down with movie star Rachel, Daniel was linked to a number of other equally glamorous high profile women.

Fans may not know that the actor counts a Love Actually supervillain in his dating history.

Daniel Craig is happily married to Rachel Weisz (Eric Charbonneau/REX)
He dated Love Actually star Heike Makatsch for seven years (Rex)

Daniel dated stunning German actress Heike Makatsch, who starred as scheming office assistant Mia in the hit festive film.

Fans will remember temptress Mia for her attempts to steal company boss Harry, played by Alan Rickman, away from his loyal wife.

Alan's character splashes the cash on an expensive heart necklace for Mia, which is later discovered by the mother of his children, played by Emma Thompson.

Heike and Daniel's relationship was far less dramatic.

Daniel and Heike are said to have parted on good terms (WireImage)

The pair were together for seven years before agreeing to split on good terms.

Daniel later said work could keep them apart for long periods.

"Film sets have caused a lot of break-ups; marriages go down the tubes," Daniel once said. “It’s bloody lonely.”

After the break-up Daniel denied rumours he was dating supermodel Kate Moss and was also linked to her friend Sienna Miller.

Later in life, fate brought Daniel back together with his former university pal Rachel Weisz years after they both performed in the same play at the National Theatre Studio in 1994.

Then on the set of 2011 thriller Dream House, the pair came into contact again and this time friendship turned to romance.

Despite falling deeply in love, Rachel said she wasn't keen on the idea of marriage but the Bond actor changed her mind.

Daniel was linked to Sienna Miller, who he starred with in Layer Cake (Getty Images)
He found lasting love with wife Rachel Weisz (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Speaking to the The Standard in 2018, Rachel admitted: "It was not an ambition of mine. It was the opposite. I couldn’t relate to romantic comedies, marriage seems to be the whole point of them.

"Then it just happened, happily, at a more mature moment."

She added "I wear my ring with pride. I'm taken."

The acting couple share a child together (FilmMagic)

Rachel gave a similarly gushing response when asked about her relationship with the actor by The New Times.

"I love being Mrs Craig," she cried.

"I've very happy being married. Very, very happy."

Rachel said she'd kept to tradition and her husband's surname added to her 'cheque book, passports and things.'

The loved-up pair now share two children together.

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