Daniel Craig says he’s enjoying acting more since quitting James Bond but admits he’s ‘working harder than ever’

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Daniel Craig says he’s actually enjoying acting more now that he’s finished playing James Bond, even though he’s busier than ever with work.

The 57-year-old actor famously played James Bond for 15 years and appeared in five films before retiring from the role in 2021.

The creators of the James Bond films decided to kill off Daniel Craig’s character in No Time To Die, a choice Craig himself agreed with, to mark the end of his time as 007.

Four years later, Daniel says he’s finding more enjoyment in acting and is now willing to take on roles he might have hesitated to accept in the past.

The hunk said: ‘I’m not saying no to things that I might have been a little bit wary about before.’

He told Radio Times that while he was being considered for the James Bond role, taking on other acting jobs sometimes felt awkward because of the contrast.

You know, I’ve been incredibly busy lately – honestly, I’m pushing myself harder than ever before. But here’s the amazing part: I’m actually loving it! I’m getting to work on some truly fascinating and diverse projects, and it’s incredibly fulfilling. It’s a sweet spot where hard work and genuine enjoyment really meet.

Last year Daniel said how working on the franchise had left him ’empty’ and ‘exhausted’.

Looking back on when I first started with Bond, I honestly thought I needed to take on other roles to stay afloat. But it turned out I didn’t need to! I was suddenly becoming known – a ‘star,’ as some people called it – and filmmakers were actually seeking me out for their projects. It was completely unbelievable, really.

Most actors experience periods of unemployment and accept whatever work comes their way, but the roles I got weren’t fulfilling. Ultimately, though, I did get paid for my work.

Filming a Bond movie left me emotionally drained for about half a year. I always believed my personal life should be the priority, and when work took over, it really took a toll on me.

Since leaving 007 behind, Daniel has taken on more diverse roles.

In 2019, he starred as the clever detective Benoit Blanc in the film Knives Out, alongside Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Christopher Plummer.

He has continued to star in the series’ subsequent movies Glass Onion and Wake Up Dead Man.

In 2024, Daniel appeared in Luca Guadagnino’s film Queer, a romance where he portrayed a man caught up in a passionate and dangerous relationship involving drugs.

Oh my gosh, he was in a movie with Drew Starkey! It was based on this really cool, kinda underground book by William Burroughs – it’s basically Burroughs’ own life story, but, like, fiction-ified. I’ve already watched the trailer a million times!

This historical romance takes place in 1950s Mexico City and centers on William Lee, an American veteran, and his love affair with Eugene Allerton, a former Navy sailor struggling with addiction.

Sources say Jacob Elordi, known for Saltburn, Tom Holland of Spider-Man fame, and Harris Dickinson, who starred in Babygirl, are leading contenders to become the next James Bond.

According to reports in Variety, the studio and producers are looking to cast a British actor who is younger than 30.

This year in June, the studio revealed that Denis Villeneuve, the director behind Warner Bros.’ acclaimed Dune movies, will be directing their new, currently unnamed film.

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2025-12-11 15:20