THE MAN BEHIND THE MAN

From Casino Royale to No Time to Die, Daniel Craig wants only one trainer by his side.

IN 2005, just after being named the next James Bond, Daniel Craig was in his trailer on the set of a film he was wrapping up. That’s when he got the knock.

“Daniel opened the door, breakfast sandwich in hand and a look of dread on his face,” recalls Simon Waterson, who was standing on the other side. Waterson, 46, is the trainer hired to get Craig into shape for Casino Royale. As for the look of dread: “I think he started to realize what he signed up for, and he would have to earn those sandwiches now.”

Craig, now 52, earned the sandwiches, and Waterson earned Craig’s trust. Their partnership continued across all five movies, including No Time to Die, in theaters on April 10 and likely the actor’s final bow as 007. Early rumors suggest the action rivals—if not eclipses—all previous films.

A BETTER BOND

In the evening after their introduction, over a couple of beers, Craig told Waterson that his vision for Bond was to raise the bar—which included doing a larger share of fight scenes and stunts than previous actors had. There was an early stipulation: Craig wanted a training partner, not a drill instructor. “Getting to hit the workouts together, and