007’s secret cameo as a stormtrooper

...but can you spy which one’s Daniel Craig?

Daniel Craig went over to the dark side to shoot a cameo role in the acclaimed Star Wars movie The Force awakens.

There were rumours during the summer that Craig (inset) had a tiny part in the blockbuster picture, but he shot them down.

But a spokesperson associated with Disney, the studio that astutely purchased george lucas’s lucasfilm company, told me: ‘You’re close to the truth. nothing can be said on the record, because it will be denied.’

The spokesperson said Craig was filming Spectre at Pinewood studios when he got talking to Star Wars director J.J. abrams, who also shot some of his film at the complex in Buckinghamshire.

‘ They concocted the cameo together. i don’t know which scene it is but yes, it does involve Daniel playing a stormtrooper, because they wear helmets and for the most part they’re anonymous.’

The source, whom i can’t identify for fear of reprisal from the First Order (the galaxy’s new baddies), suggested that the scene might be at the beginning of the film, where white-clad troopers (above) storm a village.

in a separate confirmation, an executive working on the Star Wars picture told a group of film-makers that Craig shot the star cameo moment.

it’s good to know the actor is still mischievous enough to make such a gesture. There were times during the launch of Spectre when his sense of humour seemed to have been left on the cutting-room floor.

The Force awakens is galactic-sized escapism that’s so fun i had to see it twice within 24 hours. it has some fabulous movie moments — one so traumatic (for me!) that my son grabbed my hand to check i was OK.

Part of the joy, to be sure, is seeing Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher return to the series that made them part of cinema history back in 1977.

Then there’s the new gang. Daisy ridley, a complete unknown, was cast as rey. at one point, Ford’s Han Solo comments: ‘The girl knows her stuff.’ She sure does.

John Boyega is superb as rey’s screen companion Finn, and Oscar isaac brings an old-time swagger to the part of ace resistance pilot Poe Dameron. adam Driver, meanwhile, delivers a Shakespearean flourish to the Darth Vader-like Kylo ren. Helen McCrory was sitting in front of me at the Odeon, leicester Square, with her son gulliver, eight, and daughter Manon, nine (mother and daughter sported Princess leia buns). at the splendid after party at Tate Britain i was cheered to see Boyega with his Peckham neighbour richard Taylor, father of murdered schoolboy Damiola.

The Force awakens, which started screening here yesterday, is likely to beat the box office records of Skyfall and Spectre that have taken, respectively, around £104 million and £94 million.

a spokeswoman for Craig said last night the actor had neither confirmed nor denied that he might have played a small role in the film.