During a promotional tour for his latest movie "The Golden Compass", Daniel Craig appeared on the Jonathan Ross show on BBC1 on Friday 23rd November 2007. Inevitably, talk turned to his successful debut outing as James Bond in "Casino Royale", and the forthcoming 22nd adventure...
Craig was asked why he was initially reluctant to take on the Bond role. "I kinda walked away from it at first because I couldn't wrap my head around it, and I didn't see myself doing it - simple as that. Just as an actor, I hadn't envisaged myself playing the role. I genuinely thought they were having a bit of a giggle when they offered it. It wasn't on my radar at all. I knew that once I decided I was going to do it we had to do something different, and I wasn't going to get involved unless we did something like that - Casino Royale. And now we have the chance to push that on a bit [with Bond 22]."
As with all his predecessors, the image of James Bond can hang heavy and impact day to day life like no other movie role. Craig was asked if his routine has changed since this time last year. "Yes. I can't go to the pub anymore, for very long anyway - I can go in and grab a couple of pints then run out. People tend to use their mobile phones on me alot, they carefully bring them around and take a quick picture."
In an interview with The Times earlier in the week, Craig explained that he was accepting of his new status, but there were limits. "You know, if I'm up for it, fine. I have to keep hold of my sense of humour, because you can lose it very quickly and you start retreating into yourself; then you can’t go anywhere unless you are with armed guards, and the whole thing becomes ridiculous. So you have to smile about these things. But I tell you, trying to take pictures of me when I’m having a piss is not welcome and never will be. And yes, that’s happened."
One of the stand-out features of Casino Royale was the 'back to basics' approach with the stunt work. Craig said he had fun working on the action sequences, but "they are very carefully planned and - literally - today [Thursday 22nd November] I started rehearsals for the next Bond film which we start shooting in January. So we have a month of rehearsals now to try and get the action sequences as carefully choreographed as possible so when we get there a) we don't get hurt and b) we make it look right."
When asked about how the crane sequences were shot and the challenges he faced, Craig said "It was pretty high up, I had to get over that. I didn't do the really high stuff, but we had a crane rigged on top of a platform on top of a building ... it was high!"
"I did have to breath deeply. But I thought if they were confident enough to let me [do the stunts] then I should do them because it's my face and I think people can tell."
Craig was (expectedly) tight-lipped about the upcoming Bond 22, and when asked if the film had a title yet he said, "it's called Bond 22 at the moment, we haven't got a title. I can't tell you if we did anyway!". When pressed if it would hearken back to any of the previous titles, Craig smiled and said "err, no, it won't".
Recently, Craig signed a contract for four more 007 outings following Casino Royale, which would take him up to Bond 25.
In a brief segment edited out of the transmitted show, Craig was asked how long he planned on staying in the role. "Until they tell me to stop", he said. "I want to get the next one right and we'll go from there. I'm free to do what I want but I've got no plans to stop"
Craig also talked about his appearance in Casino Royale in a press interview this week, and how he was shaping up for his next outing as 007. "Arrghh! I was big for the last one, and it wasn’t a mistake, it was a definite statement. This guy, when he takes his shirt off, should look like he could kill someone", Craig told The Times. "After it finished, I stopped training. I got drunk for three months! No, I didn’t, but certainly relaxed for three months and ate what I wanted, and then it’s hell because as soon as you get back in the gym, you have to work all that off, and it takes much longer than it does to put it on. Last time I did a lot of weights to bulk up because I had to do it quickly. This time I’m going to do more boxing and more running. I need to be physically strong for Bond and, as much as I looked in great shape, I got a lot of injuries, probably due to the fact that I wasn’t doing enough running and jumping, which is what I needed to do in the film. I won’t look physically much different, but I won’t be as ‘no neck’ as I was last time."
Interview: Daniel Craig on The Golden Compass, Bond 22 and More!
Written by Stephanie Sanchez
Sunday, 25 November 2007
Daniel Craig, a household name after reinvigorating the Bond franchise, has set his sights on some Dark Material.
Craig stars as Lord Asriel, uncle to twelve year-old protagonist Lyra Belacqua in The Golden Compass due out December 7th from New Line Cinema.
The IESB attended the London press day for the film and spoke with Craig during the roundtable interviews held. Craig discusses Lord Asriel, Bond and more below!
IESB: 'The Golden Compass' is a fantastic film but your on-screen time is surprisingly short. It would have been good to have seen more of you.
DC: Maybe the next one. If it goes ahead.
IESB: Could you tell us, from your point of you, what is Lord Asriel’s passion in ‘The Golden Compass’?
DC: His passion is about being an explorer and scientist and believes that with the more knowledge that you can have – the freer you can be. His idea is that he wants to open up the universe and he wants to expand knowledge by tearing holes in the universe. In the story, there are supposed to be a number of parallel universes that exist all next to each other and he wants to open these up so that people can start sharing ideas. He is kind of a revolutionary thinker in the world that he lives in.
IESB: Is this a vice for him.
DC: The vice of his is what you would find out if we had the film that was shot but didn’t make the movie, but will make the next one, is that to do so he hurts someone very badly; Lyra.
IESB: There’s a certain amount of controversy surrounding this film, particularly from the Catholic Church, and the fact that your character stands as the voice of reason in the film strikes a chord with many people. There’s definitely a clash between reason and superstition these days. What are your thoughts on this matter?
DC: For one thing, I don’t actually consider the books to be anti-religious. Mainly they’re anti-misuse of power whether it be religion or politics that uses it. The oppostion is always going to be there. I genuinely believe that the morals and lessons for children in this book are really good, strong and secure. I’d encourage any child to read them because they talk about being honest and truthful. Lyra is called Lyra because she’s a liar but that’s a lesson she learns; that by lying she gets herself in deeper and deeper trouble. It’s good that it has that controversy but it’s a debate. And that’s what maybe there needs to be more of. I actually think these books, and these films if they all succeed and come out, will actually do the church the world of good. I think that Derren Brown’s book proves this point. I think there have been more Catholic take ups because this book than from anywhere else.
IESB: Do you think that is the power of fantasy adventure films like ‘The Golden Compass’ – that they don’t teach but show kids values they can understand.
DC: Absolutely. By taking them to a place. That’s kind of the purpose of the books. I think that’s Philip Pullman’s purpose as much as anything. That’s my opinion. (pauses) And, obviously, here are many more.
IESB: Being a movie that stands to be a franchise like Harry Potter and given the fact that you’re already part of one of the most famous franchises already with James Bond – do you fear that they could counteract each other in some way?
DC: I hope not. (laughs)
IESB: Have you any fears about ‘Franchise Type-casting’ ala Sir Ian McKellan?
DC: He is pretty good. The reason why is there (in Lord of the Rings and X-Men) isn’t because he’s in franchises. It’s because he’s a wonderful actor. Someone said this to me when I was doing interviews for Bond; “are you afraid of being typecast?” And I thought, well – that’s a high class problem to have really. (laughs) And there was no plan with this it’s just that I have been a big fan of the books and there was a break as I’d just finished filming Bond. I phoned the producers, who I know personally, and asked “what’s the deal?”
IESB: It’s a shame that the film version of ‘The Golden Compass’ doesn’t end where the first book ends as you would have had quite a big bang there at the climax. How do you feel about this?
DC: That’s just the nature of things. There was more to do with the earlier stuff. And I think, in fact, that it will probably work out better because it’s important to get people who haven’t read the book to understand the world a bit better. I think that ending the film the way that it does in the book would have done so in the wrong way. And if it all goes ahead, that’s how they’ll start the next film.
IESB: Have you read the trilogy?
DC: Yes. Two times.
IESB: Sometimes it’s expressed by actors that they don’t want to know what’s going on in the plotline.
DC: That’s just laziness. (laughs)
IESB: Let’s talk about some of your forthcoming films aside from Bond. Any forward momentum with “I, Lucifer”.
DC: That is following me around like a bad smell. That is a book I was in talks about a few years ago and it’s just stuck around. I’m not involved. It is a great book though.
IESB: What about “Defiance”?
DC: Defiance I just finished with Edward Zwick in Lithuania last Tuesday. It’s a true story about Jewish brothers during the second world war in the Belarussian forest who organize a partisan force within the forest. One of the brothers decides that, rather than fighting, he wants to rescue. And, by the end of the war, they walk out with 1,200 people from the ghettos and they actually survive within the Belarussian forest on the run until they finally set up a camp with a school, a synagogue and factories and they actually survive. It’s an amazing story. I play Tuvia the eldest brother.
IESB: What about “Flashbacks of a Fool”?
DC: It’s a movie that my best friend wrote about five years ago. And we wanted to make it for about five years. And, (myself) doing Bond enabled us to get the money for it.
IESB: It’s been said that there have been more men on the moon than there have been James Bond. It’s a special place to be. Has that set in for you? And has it made the non-Bond parts more interesting for you?
DC: The story is not yet told as far as I am concerned so I don’t know. Let’s talk about this when I’ve done another two. Maybe this might not be so rosy. My plan is that I’ve got this next film and we’ve got to make a better one than last time. Because that is what we have to do. What it has given me a chance to do is to present me with more choices. But now, if I have time between Bond films, I want to do the films that interest me. And not necessarily getting a lot of people to see them. That’s the struggle. I mean, I produced or helped to produce the movie (“Flashbacks of a Fool”) basically by convincing people to put their hand in their pocket. But that process interests me. But trying to convince people to make a film about feelings and emotions and not necessarily huge explosions and sultry women is a little bit harder to do.
IESB: Has the screenplay for Bond 22 been completed?
DC: Yes, it’s finished.
IESB: Are you apprised of everything as it’s being written/outlined?
DC: Pretty much all the way. And if not, I am on the phone asking why (laughs). This time (for Bond 22) we’ve got Marc Forster on board. And we’ve also got Dennis Gassner, who is the designer from ‘The Golden Compass’, so there will be a change in the look and feel of the movie. Paul (Haggis) has put another great script in. So it’s just ours to fuck up. We’ve got to get on with it. And we have started. I’ve been pulled away to do this (interview). We’re in rehearsals now. We start (filming) January 4th.
Arnold also mentioned a few of his upcoming projects, including next year’s Bond 22 (which he confirmed he would be returning to compose back in early October). ‘I think I’m going to be on Bond for quite a while this time,’ he said. ‘We’re going to be taking a different approach. I think I’m going to be exclusively on it for quite a while as soon as possible. I think Marc [Forster] likes to work really tightly with his composers and I think it will be a great benefit to the film.’
‘Last time in Casino Royale, it was an extraordinary kind of scheduling … the first day of recording was eight weeks to the day from the end of principal photography, which is silly in a way. I mean, it’s extraordinary that it turned out OK, but people ask me how long does it take to score a film and it’s like “it takes a long as you’re given to do it.” If you give me six months to do it, it’ll take me six months to do it. If you give me two weeks to do it, I’ll get it done in two weeks. I think the intention for [Bond 22] is to spend a long time and really work it out and make sure it’s doing the right thing. Marc is exactly the right person to be doing this film.’
As Arnold previously mentioned in part two of this interview: ‘I haven’t seen the script yet [for Bond 22], but I met with the director, Marc Forster, and we had a very brief chat … in a way, I feel that this next one is the toughest one yet. It was much easier following up Die Another Day with a film where the general media response [regarding Craig’s announcement as the new 007] was “he’s not going to work…”. Following up something as commercially and critically successful as Casino Royale is a much tougher job. I think expectactions are much higher now.’
The top notch acting in the Weisz/Craig/Spall 'Betrayal' is emotionally true, often v funny and its beautifully staged with filmic qualities..
ad78472 wrote:Interview: Daniel Craig on The Golden Compass, Bond 22 and More!
Written by Stephanie Sanchez
Sunday, 25 November 2007
Daniel Craig, a household name after reinvigorating the Bond franchise, has set his sights on some Dark Material.
Craig stars as Lord Asriel,..........................
Loved this one, only the I, Lucifer-thing is too baaaad.
actually, i've never thought his hair was very blond. unless it's been died as in some voices or other films, it's looked pretty light brown most of the time. like you, i'd love him with any color....especially if he keeps the beautiful blue eyes!
sigl
"For the ones who had a notion
A notion deep inside
That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive!"
I read ' I Lucifer" last summer , too bad , it was funny though I don't know how they would have had him and Ewan play a person in the same body . Maybe like that movie with Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin .
Daniel Craig
Q: So I heard there was a swear box on the set, that you had to pay for every time you swear.
Daniel Craig: Worth the money. Every penny. Cost me a lot of money, but it was good.
Q: How much did you have to pay?
Daniel Craig: I don't know.. I mean, a small fortune. It became a bit of a joke after a while, but I just um, you know. Sometimes you'd be on set and you wouldn't know it that's the trouble. And then you'd just say "It's another pound!". [laughter]
Q: What was it usually? Was it f- or what? [laughter]
Daniel Craig: Please! Please! Let's say we lower the tone!
Q: What was it like working with the children?
Daniel Craig: I find it, you know, I get a kick out of it, because... You've got to work very hard and you've got to try and keep them enthused because it's a long day and their energy levels go down. But Dakota learned very quickly... and I teased her all the time you know, just to try to keep her energy levels going so that we can bounce off each other a bit. It was a real pleasure, I don't see where the problem lies really. It's quite easy, just watch them.
HisDarkMaterials.org: Did being such a fan of the books, and I'm sure also of the character, help you or hinder you sometimes?
Daniel Craig: No, no. If you read the books, the back story of Lord Asriel and everybody, it's all very clearly set out, so in fact that was my starting point, that's how I got into it, that's the reason I wanted to do the film anyway.
Q: [inaudible] Was there any kind of reluctance to take the part since Asriel has so little screen time?
Daniel Craig: It didn't bother me at all... I mean, it sounds like I've got some sort of grand plan, but I didn't- it just literally was a happy accident that it came up. The film's not about me-
Q: [interrupts] They'll look for you in the next film though?
Daniel Craig: Yes I may well be in the next one, because we've left a lot of the story untold, so we have to. But I'm not the star of these movies; Dakota is the star of these movies, and the animals that star in these movies...
Q: [interrupts] Is there a time frame?
Daniel Craig: Well if we can squeeze it in, we'll do it. This is one film, I've done three films this year, including this, so it's finding time to do things.
Q: Is part of the reason why you did this movie is because your daughter can see it?
Daniel Craig: Not really, no. She comes to see a few of my films, but that wasn't a binding reason.
Q: Does she have any preferences though? Like, 'I don't like bond I like THIS better...'?
Daniel Craig: That's a conversation between me and her. I'd rather keep my daughter out of any questions, that nobody's business except mine and hers.
Q: The dæmons play a huge part in the film, how much of a challenge was it to work with them?
Daniel Craig: Well I was lucky, my dæmon was a snow leopard, and as long as we left enough space, then, well that does the talking... Nicole had much more to do, she's got to interact with it, she had to have, as Dakota had to do, is a green blob, that you kind of, have to, you know, do things with. But I kind lucked out really, it just follows me around and sits down and purrs, and Christian Scott Thomas did the voice for it so it sort of, enough said really, it was just, simple.
Q: Being a fan of the books, was there a particular scene or character you were really looking forward to seeing on the big screen?
Daniel Craig: Well, in the books, the bears is going to be the obvious answer, and I think that they're, they're, well when I saw it the other day, when I saw it projected for the first time with the soundtrack and special effects, I got a big thrill out of seeing the bear fight. You know, the state of the technology has only really just happened- the movie couldn't have been made five years ago. And if we do go again, then there another two movies to be made out of this, and it has to just get better and better. If you look at Pantalaimon, who is Lyra's dæmon, I mean, the characterization is fantastic, that's what makes the movie really stand out.
Q: Are you comfortable now with your level of fame, since Bond and the whole sex symbol, image...
Daniel Craig: I live with it. [laughter...] It didn't last very long...
Q: Did you have a sense of humor about it?
Daniel Craig: [sarcastic] No I was very, very serious about it. [laughter] And I'm having therapy. But no, it's fine really, it's a fickle business, so I don't take it too seriously.
Q: Is there a list that you would like to be number one on? I mean, if you don't care about the other lists, like being sexiest man and everything, is there a list you would like to be number one on?
Daniel Craig: Erm... Off hand I can't think of a cleaver answer, so I won't make one... [laughter]
HisDarkMaterials.org: Did the parts that you played in the movie, while you're battling in switzerland... Did it comfort you in a sense that you didn't have to stand in front of a green screen?
Daniel Craig: Yea well there was a bit of that, there was an arctic bit when you're just standing on a big expanse of snow- but if you've ever stood in those places, then that's all it really looks like. But it was very important in this film that the design of the film crossed over and married into the special effects, so people like Dennis Gassner and Ruth Myers the costume designer, it was really important that they got their part right so we walked onto sets that were full and whole. The only thing that wasn't there were the animals and occasionally there'd be some backdrops that would be put in later. So it wasn't such a huge leap, the only thing you had to do, and I didn't have to do a lot, was talk directly with animals...
Q: In terms of the way your career has gone in the past several years, because it's gone through the roof... Have you got time to sit back and just take stock at what's happened to your career and you life for the last couple of years?
Daniel Craig: The weird thing is, I just have to plan my life in a different way and I'm just busier than I've ever been, and I'm happy about that. I don't think any actor likes to be out of work, but I've had to make time for things like, life, and family and friends. You have to make time and I have to make time and go an visit... you can loose touch, and I don't want to loose touch, because they're the most important things to me. You know a holiday would be nice, but Christmas is coming, so that'll be good.
Q: Do you think, that after Bond, you've been offered something that's after-bondish, because before that you have a very interesting movie like The Jacket, and some voices...
Daniel Craig: Well I've done, this is the third movie I've done this year, this is the first I start after the end of Bond, and it's obiovusly not a huge commitment, it was a relatively short movie at the time, but I produced a movie this year with my best friend and a bunch of people who I've wanted to work with for quite a while, which is a much smaller movie in South Africa, but with not very much money. It's just a great personal thing that I wanted to do. And I've just finished filming a movie with Ed Zwick out in Lithuania.
Q: Do you feel that Bond is allowing you to do that more than before?
Daniel Craig: Yes it has done, I think possibly I wouldn't have been able to make, get the movie made- this movie I've been trying to make for about five or six years, and I think hand on heart, Bond helped it this time.
Q: So it means that now you get the money for projects you wouldn't have done before?
Daniel Craig: It helped, it helped, but you've still got to go through the process. You've got to convince people to spend a lot of money on something, the films that are made like that are not necessarily the ones that appeal to everybody.
Q: You've been signed for four more Bond films?
Daniel Craig: That's what you said... I never said that. [laughter]
Q: You said that you thought about the first one eighteen months ago, before you finally said ‘I'm making this film’, so I thought this was quite a commitment to make?
Daniel Craig: Well, that's what's been said, it's not that it's not true, because I haven't signed up. What I've done is I've signed up on the next movie, after that we'll see. That's the way I'm doing it, and certainly it's not four more- that's the truth. It's certainly not four more.
HisDarkMaterials.org: In The Golden Compass you character seems to be a much nicer Lord Asriel than he is in the books, is this your interpretation, or how you were directed?
Daniel Craig: The thing that's missing from this book, which we did shoot, but didn't make the movie, was the bit where he stops being nice, which is right at hte very end of the book, and that didn't make the movie just because of timing and because there's so much to tell. But that'll have to be at the beginning of the next movie.
HisDarkMaterials.org: Also, not nice against Lyra because...?
Daniel Craig: She had bloody awful parents. That's basically it. They were the worst parents, they win the award for worst parents of the month award. But that's part of who Lyra is, I find that quite interesting, I mean, they're very tough and he comes across like that, but we kept that in, and he wouldn't have done, he twisted it.
Q: Do you not think that perhaps means that the film lost an integral part of the book? Because that does give you a different picture of Lord Asriel.
Daniel Craig: You could say that, but it's such a difficult part of the book and the story that we have to put it in the next movie. It will just probably become the beginning of the next movie.
Q: You started working on the new Bond last week, how is the preparation going?
Daniel Craig: All good, all good. Deceptively built up of plywood... [inaudible] ...which is spectacular Dennis Gazner who is actually the designer of this is now designing Bond.
Q: He's one to keep raising the bar...
Daniel Craig: We've got to, we've got to make it better, it's a pain in the arse. [laughter]
Q: Do you have a schedule for working out and dieting, and all that kind of thing?
Daniel Craig: I don't diet, I never diet. I work out, but I don't diet, because, life would just be awful... [laughter]
Q: When you look back at the work you've done in the past, and the stuff that you're doing now, do you feel that you're getting better as an actor?
Daniel Craig: Ah well I think something will come long, and just prove that completely wrong... it will, sometimes I don't know, I think I want to keep learning, I want to keep trying to do the best I can, but I'll do something and it'll just f*****g slide probably, and they'll go; ‘Oh, we lost it...’, but my feeling is that if I'm learning then it's working, and it constantly surprises me and I still get nervous about it, I get wound up about the whole thing, so I think that's to be quite a good thing.
Q: What's it like to work with Chris [Weitz], the director?
Daniel Craig: Very good, he's got an intricate knowledge of the books, and so had put in a huge amount of work before we started on where we had to go, because there were so many ideas within these stories that you have to convey them, well, it's impossible to convey all of them. But I think the essence is there, and if there are going to be two other films, then we've got that right, that part of it's right, we've got that story told. So now we can explore the rest of it in the other books.
Q: So collaborative, did you have the input, did you give him your ideas...?
Daniel Craig: I'm always trying to, weather anybody listens I don't know, but I always try and give my ideas and say what I think should be going on in the movie.
Q: There were not always the times when you could make a living from being an actor?
Daniel Craig: I've always done, actually...
Q: [interupts] But you waited tables?
Daniel Craig: Well that was before I went to drama school, I worked at tables from the age of sixteen, so that was just food money.
Q: What was the job you hated most before you were acting full time?
Daniel Craig: I used to count components in a factory, building early computers. I worked in the stock room, my job was to measure out parts because there were so many of them.
Q: What stage was that at during drama school?
Daniel Craig: That wasn't at drama school, that was before... Just after I left school.
Q: What's the biggest perk of where you are now?
Daniel Craig: One of them's the travel... I get to go to places that I've wanted to go to, but I'm going with work- so I'm not visiting places as a tourist, I'm visiting places in a working environment. I think that's on of the best things.
Q: But can you go around without be hassled?
Daniel Craig: Sometimes, yea, it's possible sometimes. It depends, we went to a city I haven't been to, I always try and go and to something, we've been lucky enough, I mean, we were in madrid, and we got a private viewing of the prada and got taken around. There is things that come up, you've just got to take them, it's a real privilege, so you've got to take advantage of them.
HisDarkMaterials.org: With quite a few people working on the movie, especially Alexandre Desplat and Chris Weitz, or Dennis Gassner, they've all got noticable little parts of the movie that they wrote in, which is there because they like it. For example Dennis Gassner had his moment with the Airship flying in over London. Do you have a little moment that was your input? That was your personal contribution?
Daniel Craig: No.[laughter]
Daniel Craig: Not really... My relationship with Lyra, with Dakota, that was really what I wanted. I wanted there to be this toughness that he, he's not very fatherly... but he wants the best for her. I want that relationship to be something that spurs her along. And like I said, if you read the book, we did stuff that will be there. What he does, by taking roger away, it's the spur for her to go on and win the day.
HisDarkMaterials.org: So when you're bitching at her at Jordan, that was more fun to do than slapping Tartars with a rifle?
Daniel Craig: Yeah...
Q: What was it like working with Nicole?
Daniel Craig: It's great, I've worked with her a couple of times, and we get on really well... on the whole... [laughter]
Q: Is it nice working with people you've worked with in the past?
Daniel Craig: Completely, I've been doing this for quite a while now, so I tend to not notice just the actors I've worked with, but most of the technical people on the film, behind the cameras, I've worked with. So it just comes with experience and of being forty.
Q: I heard a story about when you were cast, you gave a call to Chris to see what was happening with the adaptation...
Daniel Craig: Not Chris, it was Ileen, one of the producers, she's a friend of mine, so I called her up to see what was going on.
Q: Were you the first person cast do you think?
Daniel Craig: Oh I don't know about that... Don't ask questions like that... [laughter]
Q: Is it a tremendous experience, turning forty?
Daniel Craig: I haven't done it yet... But I'll tell you when I do. [laughter]
Q: Are you worried about it?
Daniel Craig: Not at all... no.
Q: A lot of people have a crush on movie stars, do you remember the first one you had a crush on?
Daniel Craig: Charlotte Rampling. Q: Did you meet her? Daniel Craig: No, I haven't met her...
Daniel Craig
Q: (inaudible question about making of second movie)
Daniel Craig: Yes several of them were in the story, but you'll notice if you've read the books that there were missing parts of the story in the first one. We shot it and it didn't make the movie, but it was because the timing wasn't good, so it wasn't right. So it'll have to be in the second movie because it's actually how the universes are breaking apart, and how the story actually starts and how Lyra's journey starts.
Q: Have you read the second script yet, because I understand there was one,
Daniel Craig: There an outline, a pretty good outline. I haven't looked at it but I've seen bits of it.
Q: Why were you interested to doing another franchise?
Daniel Craig: It didn't really cross my mind, I genuinly was just such a fan of the books that I wanted to, when I heard they were making, that this was on the cards, I've got to do this, I've got to get involved with this. I'm such a Philip Pullman fan and actually his philosophies and his morals and the way he looks at the world, and the lessons and the stories. He does what he does brilliantly as a writer. He writes children's stories with major adult themes and major ideas about making the right choices.
Q: Were you surprised that there were certain controversies about the story's attitude about the religion today...
Daniel Craig: I'm not surprised, no, I mean I get that. Philip is being very vocal about it. For me the story has always, I don't think the story isn't at all anti-religious in any way, I think what's it more against is the control and the misuse of power that any organised religion, or any political sort of, um, organistation exercises over the people they're supposed to represent. I think that, for me what's important in the movie, and the character I play has all these revolutionary idea, which if you think about it is really revolutionary, of splitting all the universes up so that all these ideas are floating apart and the whole part gets turned up his head so that they can move in. I think the classic thing is that majority people who are criticising it probably have never read the books, and need to. And I'm sure that the Catholic church, which is being directed as you know, sort of, it's said it's an attack on the Catholic Church, can handle it.
Q: As a fan of the books, what did you feel the film had to have in it to capture the essence of the books?
Daniel Craig: Well, the key element for the film is Dakota. She had to be right, she had convey strenght, she had to be a little girl that someone that we wanted to follow, and she's done that, brilliantly I think. She's so engaging. She's got a quality about her that I felt is important to the role, and if you want to follow her into the world Philip Pullman created then it's icing on the cake.
Q: What did you think of her being able to handle the pressure? Did you sense that she was under any pressure, in terms of, you know, because obviously she had to the right person for this. Did you sense she felt any pressure to that or...?
Daniel Craig: I don't know, I mean, if she did then it was her own pressure because she wanted to get it right but I think that's kind of back to normal. Certainly, in a situation like this, you have to remember she's a little girl and she needs to be protected. That is the first and foremost in this situation, and this whole thing we're doing now is sort of crazy. My advice to her has always been enjoy it, enjoy what's happening here. It's crazy and it's wonderful, but it's fun.
Q: Is that how you've been able to cope with the post-Bond thing?
Daniel Craig: I run away. Having a sense of humour is really key. You have to have a sense of humour with these things and I’ve just tried to remain who I am. Just geting, my life has changed. It's changed in the fact that I don't have the freedoms I did before, but I’ve also got a huge amount of other freedoms that came along with it.
(Loads of James Bond-related questions)
Q: So assuming that The Golden Compass is a big hit, and obviously you got scheduled for the next Bond do you already look ahead the next year and look like maybe we can pick The Golden Compass in here...
Daniel Craig: That will be the plan, but it will obviously depend on how well we do here. I try not the count chickens, and I really do because there's no point because you go crazy. I'm very happy with the way this is working out, I'd love to get involved. If they do another movie I'd love to do, and we'll fit in it. It's not my job to make that work but I've got to pay people fortunes to make them do that.
(More questions drifting off The Golden Compass subject again)
Q: Back to this one [The Golden Compass] for a moment, how did you feel about this character?
Daniel Craig: I like the fact that he's a bit of revolutionary. Basically, he wants to mix everything up. Knowledge is the most important thing for him, the only way you're going to find knowledge, you've got to go out and explore, you need to go and find that. It's always going to change things and change is always good, and that is, I think, where his passion comes from.
Q: I was so intrigued by the dæmons in the movie, that I was curious, do you have a dæmon?
Daniel Craig: Well the thing is, once you have a snow leopard it's difficult to go back. Everything is going to be slightly disappointing. It's very telling of your... it's very telling what your choice would be. Because that's probably how you see yourself. We used to play that games as kids and you'd say if you were animal what would you be and it'd usually be the opposite of what it should be. But animal would be could, any animals have got their virtues. You know, cockroaches got virtues...
Q: Like what?
Daniel Craig: Well, they'll be around when we're all gone.
Q: There's talk about these scenes that have been deleted. Tell us a bit more?
Daniel Craig: It's was the storyline... the situation is that we have only so much time to tell the story in the movie. Literally, the piece at the end which is where the universe is cracked apart, it's a big moment. Basically, they, the filmmakers, have directed the story earlier in the book. It happens, it's called adapting a book, you have to make decisions about things. It's not unusual having to cut out scenes.
Q: As for as you know are those scenes going to be the opening scenes in the next one or are they going on an extended DVD of this one?
Daniel Craig: I don't know about that, I'm not involved with DVD. But they'd have to be [in the second movie], because they're fundamental to the story and you can't really avoid them. It certainly puts a different spin on my character, to being slightly kindly to rather evil. And that's what's so great about this story.
Q: You're first seen in the movie, full beard. The men caught you and you shaved it all away. Did you just shave it in between?
Daniel Craig: It was a choice. It went along with a scene that was lost so it may be a little confusing. What happens is that he's taken prisoner, and everybody thinks he's been taken prisoner and he's in a prison. But in fact what he does is that he builts himself a whole laboratory. I wanted to make it look like when Lyra comes across him that it's like, oh you're not here with a long beard being chained to the whole but he's got he valet there and all, so it was just a choice.
So we heard that your acting (inaudible) part two.
Daniel: Right, well I have to. It's kind of an important scene that they have to put in. It's when the universes break apart so it has to be there.
Q: So you think it's, it's, because somebody said if you saw it in this movie you'd think the whole movie was over.
Daniel: Well I think that's debatable. I mean the point about it - you know as well as I do - is adapting a book's going to be a really difficult thing and you've got to get certain elements of the story across. And this is what happens, and it got lost. And you know it's not unusual in the movie business to lose scenes.
Q: Was the scene shot and -
Daniel: No, we shot it.
Q: May I ask you about the Northern Lights, have you seen them in real life?
Daniel: No, I haven't, no. I mean I've been, I travelled up to the arctic circle as a child and I've been up farther I've never seen them. I've seen the midnight sun.
Q: Because I'm from Iceland and we can see them -
Daniel: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's beautiful.
Q: Would you be interested in going?
Daniel: I've been to Iceland. And I, yeah, I filmed Tomb Raider up there up on the glacier. And I'd love to see them, yeah. If I get the chance. Maybe we'll do it on the tour this year.
Q: The Bond tour? So that movie has started already?
Daniel: I started rehearsals last week.
Q: And...do we have a title for this Bond?
Daniel: Bond Twenty-two.
(Laughter)
Q: We heard last week that you got a villian with Matthieu Amalrie -
Daniel: Maybe. I'm the wrong source.
Q: And what would you say that this is going to be like in terms of the progression, six months after the last?
Daniel: It will actually follow on quite closely after the last story. That's in, sort of elements of what happened in the last movie are going to be putting over into this one, yeah.
Q: Was there a conscious attempt (on Bond) to sort of get back away from what Bond had become this sort of huge-budget. I mean, this was scaled down to be much gritter your picture than previous Bond movies.
Daniel: At two hundred million dollars it really was scaled down. Um - (laughter) the fact that the Bond movies are out, they were. They're great movies, I mean I've watched all of them they're really, they really work. But for me I wanted, my basis and what I kind of wanted is that I'm a fan of the very early Bond movies, the early Sean Connery's, Dr. No, and From Russia With Love and I wanted to put it back in that mold. And whatever you do, you know, these are Bond movies: there has to be an element of style, there has to be an element of something that's quintessentially James Bond about the movies. I could name any influence that's happened over the last thirty years that's influenced my decision and my feelings about Casino Royale, but James Bond is James Bond.
Q: You were filming that at the same time as The Golden Compass?
Daniel: No, we were doing publicity on the Bond and I was flying back and forth to do this.
Q: You were a fan of the trilogy, weren't you -
Daniel: Yeah, big fan.
Q: Can you tell us what it was that really...
Daniel: Well, just that it's a great piece of writing. Philip Pullman's a really talented writer, he's a brilliant writer. And the message that the books, for me, were putting across I think I would want children to read. They're about keeping promises, about being faithful, finding good friends, keeping them, and being supportive, and fighting for the right causes. And that, you know, the classic book, Philip Pullman what he's done is he's used it to tell, childrens books to write very adult themes. And I, they just appeal to me. More than appeal to me. I think they're kind of fundamental.
Q: And, because people were saying when we walked out of the theater "why did Daniel Craig do this?" He's not in the movie that much, it's not that big of a part -
Daniel: Easy job. (Laughter) It's because I wanted to. Because I wanted to. That's the why and reason I did it. And for that reason I mean I, there wasn't that much to do in it. It wasn't a huge commitment for me.
Q: And what happened to Invasion, the movie you and Nicole did?
Daniel: It went down the pan.
Q: What?
Daniel: It went down the pan.
Q: I mean did you have an idea when you were in the middle of that, you know?
Daniel: I mean there are some stories you know, and I'll talk about it and at the time - the movie was made with all the right intentions. And all of the (inaudible) Nicole and I are huge fans of and it was done with all the right intention, it just went out of control.
Q: What about Eva Green? Is it a coincidence that you were in the same -
Daniel: No, she's in every movie I make from now on. (Laughter) It's contractual. Just is, no, and she was great, great casting, she plays. As is Nicole, I couldn't have thought of a better Mrs. Coulter.
Q: But I heard that you had your idea for your costume?
Daniel: Which bit?
Q: Um, I read the costume designer wasn't quite sure about the costume for The Golden Compass for you -
Q: That tweedy suit, that wonderful tweedy suit he wears?
Daniel: It's always a kind of a conversation Ruth Meyers and I had long conversations about it, just about the way we want to look at it. But we kind of based it upon, Chris and everybody, we kind of based it upon Shackleton. Shackleton, who sort of, an English gentlman but with a twist to it, I mean you know it's not , you know. We have long conversations about that sort of thing I mean that's kind of part of the process. The shoes, I chose the shoes. (Laughter)
Q: Can you say anything about fantasy films and science fiction films and what your feelings are towards it? Because obviously we feel that Bond should steer slight away from that science fiction bit.
Daniel: I'm, I mean I've been a big fan of, I mean I'm not a huge fan of science fiction novels, but I've always read them, steadily read them over the, since I was a child. You know as well as I do that any good science fiction writing or fantasy novel has a very strong message somewhere in them and is using the backdrop of a fantasy world to highlight that and extend into it. And this is no different. The messages and the things about Lyra's life, about this young lady is what I love so much about this is that the lead character is a girl and it's about her struggle into adulthood. And if you read the books, that's very much what the stories are about. And you know, we do have a tradition in this country, I mean with Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis there is a huge tradition of fantasy story telling. Usually with a very strong point behind it. And I think Philip Pullman's books are no different.
Q: Is there a particular fantasy film apart from this one that you would say is good?
Daniel: Which is the one that I would say is good?
Q: Yeah
Daniel: I mean I think they did a really, made a really good fest of the Lord of The Rings. I mean, again, as a reader I read them as a child and it will be the same with this. Fans of Philip Pullman who have read Philip Pullman are going to come and see this and be disappointed with there aren't certain things in the film. But that's the nature of what we're doing I mean it's an adaptation of a book and things get lost. My favorite fantasy or science fiction, Bladerunner's one of my favorite movies and still is. I haven't seen it in years.
Q: What about the controversey? I don't know if it's here in England but in the States and Canada and there're groups saying that it's -
Daniel: And I'm sure they've read the book as well. (Laughter) You know, look, the book deals with really very important things. One of the things it deals with is the misuse of power by any authority whether it's a religious or a political power is wrong. And that's what the book deals with so whether it, you know. Philip, he might be a bit against the Catholic church but I know for a fact the Catholic church has got big enough shoulders to weight this. And they sell Dan Brown in the Vatican now I'm sure so you know, they'll be selling this in the Vatican City. It raises a debate, it raises a very healthy debate for religion and religion shouldn't worry about these sort of things because it actually gets people talking about it. So I'm, you know. It's interesting that people should get so angry about it. The morals in this book are solid and really good. I don't have a problem with them. I think any child should read these stories.
Q: You seem to have limited screen time in the picture, is the role going to expand in the next few installments?
Daniel: For me?
Q: Yeah
Daniel: It kind of does. It will have to in the second one. But the third book's where Mrs. Coulter and I kind of get together and help save the universe.
(Laughter)
Daniel: Simply put.
Q: Can you say anything about where you're going to be filming your Bond movie?
Daniel: We're going to start Central America, in Italy, maybe Austria. And Pinewood, obviously.
Q: Does Austria mean skiing?
Daniel: No.
Q: As an International Man of the World now is there a language you would like to learn or a place you'd like to go live, a foreign country?
Daniel: I don't think there's anywhere I really want to go and live, I mean I spent a lot of time in the States, and I love New York. And I'd like to spend more time in New York, I'm a big fan of California. I love to go out there and the California coast line. They speak English over there, don't they? (Laughter) I mean, look, the lucky thing is I went to Tokyo for the first time in my life last year with Bond . And you know that's probably now one of my favorite cities. The fact is that's one of the biggest perks of my jobs that I get to travel. Luckily I usually get people who talk the language to come with me.
Q: As a fan of the trilogy, was there any point in the movie production that you got to influence Chris Weitz's vision?
Daniel: Every day I hope. Not in the sense of any aggressive way, but certainly in that I don't come to work empty handed. I kind of try and figure some things out and try and at least bring something to the part. I mean there's no point in coming to work unless you're sort of getting involved in my opinion. So, if I did then hopefully in a positive way.
Q: (Inaudible question regarding another movie)
Daniel: Yeah, it's about a group of brothers, Jewish brothers, in Belerus in the second world war who went into the forest to hide away because of the Nazi invasion and because the Jews were being wiped out systematically as we all well know. They formed a partisan group and instead of fighting, and they did do some maybe questionable things, they started rescuing Jews from the ghetto and they got to the end of the war with tweleve hundred people. It's a story of survival. And they set up a community within the forest and they had to keep moving. It's a kind of adventure story as much as anything. And what they achieved is beyond -
Q: They also saved more than Schindler then I guess it looks like.
Daniel: I don't think it's a competition.
Q: (Inaudible)
Daniel: And no one knows, the joke of it is it's one of actually really where one of those stories that's not been told. They genuinely fought, waged war, but by doing so, also, they kind of rallied with ruptured partisans and got them to protect them. No I mean, there are thousands upon thousands of people alive because of these brothers.
Q: How many brothers are there?
Daniel: Three in the story.
Q: In what country was it?
Daniel: Belarus, it does exist I mean it's a very politically unstable place at the moment.
Q: We were talking about the religions today. Are you religious?
Daniel: Not particularly religious. I mean I kind of, what I find so fascinating about these books is that the spiritualism in these books is very much there. I don't think that they're...I'm not, I've never been religious but I do find religion fascinating, because it has such an influence on all our lives. I mean I've just been in Lithuania they have a very strong Orthodox church there. And you go into these places and there's all this Baroque artwork all over the place and you kind of, you can't help but be kind of moved by it in some way. But it doesn't, I'm not a church goer.
Q: You don't meditate or anything like that?
Daniel: Um...I like to try and get sleep. (Laughter) I'm not opposed to any of that sort of stuff. It's all, you know, it's all quite good stuff to think about and do.
Q: So you've played Bond, an iconic character. These films take off Lord Asriel I expect as well. So when you're walking down a street and a kid sees you who would you rather have them see, Daniel Craig Bond or Daniel Craig Lord Asriel?
Daniel: Daniel Craig would be all right. But either one it doesn't matter. That's fine. I'm chill with that.
Q: Is this kind of attention relentless it must've been a tidal wave after Bond. Did it just change everything?
Daniel: Well, strangely, I mean, in a way but I've very much tried to like kind of retreat back a bit and not, I don't go to public events. I try to purposely, because I don't, I don't sort of need to go and get that hassle. It just depends, I mean, sometimes it's really easy and sometimes it gets a bit tricky. And when it gets a bit tricky I kind of have to duck away, that's all.
Q: Shopping's a problem then, is it?
Daniel: I don't have to do it anymore. (Laughter)
Q: And have you gotten into training for this?
Daniel: I have, no, I've been trying to keep fit but I've started, yeah.
Q: For like weapons training?
Daniel: Oh I did all that. I've done all that. Was doing that two days ago, right here at the hotel. (Inaudible)
Q: Anything exploded?
Daniel: No, no. when you're firing you're firing weapons. They blow things up.
