Daniel Craig has opened up about his difficult experience as the star of the James Bond franchise in a new documentary for Apple TV+.
In Being James Bond, the 007 actor describes how he felt “physically and mentally under siege” while trying to cope with his newfound fame.
“My personal life was affected by being that famous all of a sudden,” he says.
“I used to lock myself in and close the curtains, I was in cloud cuckoo land. I was physically and mentally under siege.”
Craig also reveals that it was his fellow actor Hugh Jackman who “helped me to come to terms with it and appreciate it”.
Jackman, who starred with Craig in the 2009 play Steady Rain, was actually approached about the role of Bond before Craig, but turned it down.
Craig was also initially prepared to turn down the role until he was persuaded by producer Barbara Broccoli, who insisted he was the right actor for the part.
In 2015, he infamously claimed he would rather “slash his wrists” than make another Bond film.
He later explained his remark to late-night host Stephen Colbert, commenting: “Look, there’s no point in making excuses about it, but it was two days after I’d finished shooting the last movie. I went straight into an interview and someone said, ‘Would you do another one?’ And I went, ‘No!’
“And instead of saying something with style and grace I gave a really stupid answer.”
Craig is now the longest-serving lead actor in the Bond franchise, with forthcoming film No Time To Die being his final appearance as the super spy.
Being James Bond is available now on Apple TV+. No Time To Die is released on 30 September.
