The Unhinged Interviews of Daniel Craig's Bond Farewell

Daniel Craig seems to have moved on from any thoughts of self-mutilation. Though he infamously said he’d rather “slash [his] wrists” than do another James Bond movie after the filming of Spectre, the 53-year-old actor obviously did a 180 for his final 007 film No Time to Die, speaking glowingly of the cast and crew and even getting choked up on set.

Or has he? In the lead-up to the U.S. release of the movie this Friday, the media outlets that managed to score an interview with Craig are releasing their stories and videos, and they almost all read like a middle finger, sometimes jokingly, sometimes not.

Maybe Craig has answered so many questions about the Bond franchise that he’s finally run out of ammo; maybe he feels liberated on the eve of his release from the character; maybe he’s still got such a chip on his shoulder from the fallout after the aforementioned Time Out interview that he’s taking his revenge by giving the press almost nothing substantial to work with.

For readers, however, it’s almost as fun as watching Craig fight his way through an evil lair. Here are some of the best quotes from his Bond farewell tour, some of which have been cut down for length.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Daniel Craig” by Dave Itzkoff, The New York Times

Itzkoff: Is it humbling to play these characters who are defined by being capable and resourceful and then to have a real-life experience that reminds you we’re all at the mercy of these larger forces?

Craig: Well, I don’t feel like that anyway. I feel like a normal human being most of the time. I don’t feel any connection to the characters I play. I mean at all.

Itzkoff: How does one prepare to play Macbeth? [Craig will star in a Broadway production this spring.]

Craig: You learn the lines.

Itzkoff: You’ve previously played Iago for Sam Gold in “Othello,” you’ve done the brooding thing —

Craig: How do you know what I’m going to do? I’ll be far from brooding.