Craig: I’m back as Bond, and sorry I said I’d rather slash my wrists
DANIEL CRAIG has apologised for a lack of “grace” when he previously said he would rather “slash his wrists” than reprise his role as James Bond.
The actor announced he will play 007 for a fifth time, making him the longest running Bond, while appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on US television on Tuesday night.
Craig, 49, was met with rapturous applause as he replied “yes” when the presenter asked if he would play Bond again. He said he believed the film, which is due out in 2019, would be his final time as the secret agent.
“I think this is it. I just want to go out on a high note and I can’t wait,” Craig said. He said he “couldn’t be happier” and addressed the time he told an interviewer he would “rather slash my wrists” than play the agent again.
“There’s no point in making excuses about it but it was two days after I finished shooting the last movie,” he said.
“I went into an interview and someone said, ‘Would you do another one?’ Instead of saying something with style and grace, I gave a really stupid answer.” In the run-up to the interview, he had been saying no deal had been struck over the next 007 instalment but he told Colbert he had known for a “couple of months”.
Craig has so far appeared in four Bond films – Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre.
Roger Moore made seven Bond films, but only spent 5,118 days as the spy, whereas Craig’s fifth outing, presuming it is released on Nov 8 2019 as expected, will take his total to 5,138 days. Sean Connery’s seven Bond films spanned just 3,049 days.