The truth is that he was already showing signs. The James Bond portrayed by Daniel Craig (Chester, 1968) had little to do with the outdated heteronormative fantasies that, back in the supposedly liberal and very progressive 60s, turned agent 007 into the epitome of the bear (the bear and the man, the uglier...).
The evolution of the licensed-to-kill spy from his debut in Casino Royale in 2006, to No Time to Die in 2020, transformed the insensitive and hairy earth-scorcher from MI6 into a vulnerable, affectionate, sensitive, and - also noteworthy - groomed guy. He became a dad and strolled with a stuffed rabbit. But, no matter how we look at it, and no matter how silk-clad he may be, Bond remains. Perhaps that's why, instead of simply changing or taking a turn in his career, Daniel Craig has directly mutated.
Beyond no longer advertising those virile watches that block the wrist and suck the air out of rooms to become the face of one of those prestigious and colorful brands, his latest movie is a statement in itself from its very title. Queer, by Luca Guadagnino, adapts the semi-autobiographical and iconic novel by William S. Burroughs, doing so from the fierce and prodigious "disembodiment" (the director's term) of the Bond myth, the man myth, the myth of myths. Daniel Craig, once the toughest, is now the most fluid of all.
Question. I'm afraid there is no choice but to start with Bond. Did you really want to get rid of him so badly?
Answer. No. I don't choose roles to react or respond to anything. I never have. Also, I don't think it's possible. No matter how well-regarded you are, you never have enough power to decide exactly what you want. You have to adapt to what is offered to you. Looking back, I realize that when I have tried to act in that way, I have been wrong to the point of regret. All I can say is that you have to follow your instincts and what you feel in each moment. Queer has nothing to do with anything I have done in the past, and that's why I like it. Honestly, I don't want to look back. As much as you ask about Bond, my priority is the future. I want to look forward.
Q. What did your instinct tell you when Luca Guadagnino offered you the role of William S. Burroughs in a novel that doesn't hide its desire to provoke?
A. What struck me was how complex it was. It is provocative, but not gratuitously. Burroughs talks about who we are. All human beings can see themselves reflected in his experience; we are all complicated and mysterious. And that's my job as an actor, and it's what I have always tried to do, even with Bond. Perhaps Bond is more restrictive and offers less room in certain aspects, but I also did the best I could to explore his emotions and not reduce him to a cliché. The idea was to show another side of the character by proposing an unprecedented emotional journey. In any case, you dedicate yourself to this profession so that people like Luca offer you such rich and complex work.
Q. How much does your image concern you? I mean, an actor also relies on the image they project, and depending on it, they get certain roles over others.
A. I don't know. I have the image I have. What can I do? Honestly, what concerns me most about my image is that it doesn't take away my time. I try not to think about it.
Q. So, you don't mean that it's a matter that is out of your hands?
A. No, I don't want to be so radical. Of course, it is in my hands. But not entirely. But, honestly, I repeat, it's not something I dedicate much time to. On the contrary, I make efforts to spend as little time on the matter as possible.
Q. As a viewer, Queer is an exhausting experience because of everything it aims for, constantly pushing the characters to their limits. And as an actor? Would you say it has been the most demanding role of your career?
A. There is a certain tendency among us actors to talk about our work as if it were suffering. And no. I don't want to fall into that. My job is great. In this particular production, I had three months to prepare. That doesn't always happen. And yes, I prepared thoroughly to arrive on set in the best possible disposition. But that's normal, not extraordinary. Yes, it's true that you give everything until exhaustion, and in the end, you are exhausted. I'm one of those who as soon as a job ends, immediately catches a cold. When the adrenaline drops, you're lost. But I wouldn't say that's why it's difficult. It is what it is. Sometimes, I look back and it hurts not to have done better, not to have tried harder... But I think that happens to all of us.
Q. It recently came out that Joaquin Phoenix left a project by Todd Haynes, and there were rumors that it was because of the explicit homosexual sex scenes. Are we still there?
A. Well, I only know that both Tom Hanks in Philadelphia and Al Pacino in Cruising played roles of homosexual characters. They were stars then and they still are now.
Q. Do you think we have finally evolved as a society...
A. I don't know. In many ways, it is clear that we have a much more liberal society. But it would be very risky for me to declare that everything is done and that prejudices are over. It doesn't seem to be the case at all. There are still very restrictive societies where being or declaring oneself homosexual is prohibited. Yes, we have progressed, but there is still much to be done. And in some aspects, I have the impression that we have even regressed.
Q. Does filming a sex scene with a man or a woman make a difference?
A. Bad sex scenes are bad sex scenes. I've been in some and I've seen many movies that have them. Your job as an actor is to make them real. In a good sex scene, sex is the least interesting part. A sex scene is very technical. You are in a room full of people, and you have to be very convincing and respectful both of the scene itself and of your colleague. That's all. And you have to think that what you're doing is nothing extraordinary. The people watching you in the movie have sex. Sex is so commonplace that it's strange to wrap it in so much mystery. Right now, we are talking, and there are many people in the world engaged in sexual activity. Isn't that glorious? It's a way of expressing and communicating. And that's it.
Q. Another standout scene in Queer is when your character injects heroin. Luca mentioned that he was advised by a former addict...
A. Yes, the guy who was there, and I talked to him. I have met many addicts, so I had an idea about it, but he was very, very generous with his time. He wanted the technique to be correct, and he taught me.
Q. To what extent is this role a new beginning in your career?
A. I'm sorry, I think time is up. But I believe I answered in some way.