93 replies to this topic

[Lounge Lizard]

Let's have some fun with this.

For the past few months, it has been repeated over and over again that current 007 Daniel Craig was not 'Born to Play Bond' in the way Brosnan was; according to popular showbizz mythology, Bond was the role that couldn't escape Brosnan, since he was married to an ex-Bond girl (Cassandra Harris), enjoyed Goldfinger as his first big London cinema experience, already had the role cut out for him in 1986, etc., etc. You can call these little facts and bits of trivia clear signs of destiny, or you can dismiss them as Tinseltown spin, yet the myth is all the stronger for it. Bond as a birthmark.

But myths can be invented, right? Now I'd like to invite CBn members to add little facts and bits of trivia, no matter how seemingly irrelevant or nitpicky, in order to build a new myth, the 'Craig Was Born to Play Bond Myth'. And like I said earlier (I'm beginning to sound weasely), it's an exercise just for the heck of it, not to be taken seriously, it's neither a Brozzie diss nor an altar for His Craigness. Pro-Craigies are welcome to join in, and so are anti-Craigies, as long as the posts are fun to read (i.e., you're welcome to repeat the popular notion that Craig is the hypothetical bastard-son of King George I of Lilliput and Vladimir Putin, but I don't think that's funny per se- let's be more creative than that!).

I'll start it off:

In Elizabeth (1998, Shekhar Kapur), Craig plays John Ballard, a 16th Century monk who spies and kills for the Pope. Note Ballard's initials and his job description. Hurrah, Born to Play Bond!

You see?

[spynovelfan]

Brilliant idea for a thread. After all, the Bond world doesn't have enough half-truths and myths at the moment, what with all that stuff about Dalton being in NSNA and Fleming picking Roger Moore to play the part having watched The Saint in a crystal ball.

In his interview in the September 2005 issue of GQ, Daniel Craig said: "Look, certainly, I played James Bond in the school playground, every [censored]ing kid I know played James Bond."

No, not every kid did that, Daniel. You did, though - because you were born to play Bond!

Craig also left school early - just like James Bond. You know why, of course. It's because he was born to play Bond!

[Lounge Lizard]

In his interview in the September 2005 issue of GQ, Daniel Craig said: "Look, certainly, I played James Bond in the school playground, every [censored]ing kid I know played James Bond."

No, not every kid did that, Daniel. You did, though - because you were born to play Bond!

Craig also left school early - just like James Bond. You know why, of course. It's because he was born to play Bond!

Yeah, that's the spirit!

[Jim]

He is from Chester. HMS Chester is one of the boats in Tomorrow Never Dies. He was born to be Bond.

He has lovely golden hair. Golden Hair is nearly the same as GoldenEye. He was born to be Bond.

He has never been known to suck out the contents of a radiator. Neither has James Bond. He was born to be Bond.

"Daniel Craig is James Bond" is an anagram of "Daniel Craig is James Bond". He was born to be Bond.

His middle name is Wroughton. James Bond doesn't have a middle name, but if he did, it would be Wroughton (fact!). He was born to be Bond.

He was born on 2 March 1968, a day when someone somewhere was watching or thinking about James Bond in some way. He was born to be Bond.

He has used the word "the" in conversation. So has James Bond. He was born to be Bond.

He was in Sylvia. So, in a manner of speaking, was James Bond. He was born to be Bond

His dad is called Tim. You know the rest. He was born to be Bond

He was nominated for a 2002 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Number at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs. 007 is a number. He was born to be Bond.

He was in a film about Francis Bacon. James Bond once ate some bacon, probably. He was born to be Bond.

[spynovelfan]

Ted Hughes once wrote a poem called Pike. This may have been a premonition that the actress Rosamund Pike would appear in Die Another Day. Daniel Craig played Ted Hughes in the film Sylvia. These connections are too spooky to be ignored, and the only conclusion can be that Craig was born to be Bond.

Incidentally, there's an unconfirmed rumour going round (it might have been in Cubby's book, or an article I read somewhere; perhaps Dr Shatterhand's website?) that says that Craig was approached to be Bond for OHMSS in February 1968 but that, due to his being only one month old at the time, he declined. If proven (and the burden of proof is on all of you, of course), this would establish beyond all reasonable doubt that Daniel Craig was born to be Bond.

[spynovelfan]

Daniel Craig's first name begins with a D. If you go EFGHIJ, that's six letters. But then - and this is a little eerie, I'll admit - look at Craig's surname. Starts with a C, doesn't it? Take one letter back and you're at B. So it takes precisely - no more, no less - seven shifts to get the first letters of this particular actor's first and second names to the initials 'JB'.

I think you can see where I'm coming from if I now say Double Oh Seven. It's a fact, folks - Craig was born to be Bond.

[Hitch]

What a lot of guff. You're all deliberately ignoring the well-known fact that in 1997 Daniel Craig starred in the equally well-known film, Saint-Ex.

Roger Moore was an ex-Saint when he became Bond.

Need I go on? Apparently. Alright, then: He was born to be Bond.

[Lounge Lizard]

Craig was raised in a Frodsham pub called the Ring O'Bells; the working title for Fleming's OHMSS was The Bells of Hell. BtPB!

Craig has a starring role in Spielberg's Munich. Fleming's Bond was married in Munich. BtPB!

Craig played in the musical Oliver! as a six year old. Oliver Reed played in Carol Reed's version of Oliver! Oliver Reed was a rumored candidate for the role of Bond in 1972. BtPB!

Craig played a character depicted as 'XXXX' in Layer Cake. The Bond girl in The Spy Who Loved Me was known by the coded digit 'XXX'. BtPB!

Between 2001-03, three rumored Bond candidates starred alongside Angelina Jolie: Craig in Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, Gerard Butler in Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, and Clive Owen in Beyond Borders (which was directed, of all people, by Martin Campbell). Craig was the only one of those three actors not to share a love scene with Jolie- and he was the one that walked away with the Bond role. BtPB, I tell you!

[Jim]

You Only Live Twice was released in June 1967. His mother and father found sweet honey love together in the back row of the Odeon on Northgate Street in Chester, during the boring wedding bit. Daniel Craig was born nine months later. On that basis, he was conceived to be Bond

[Tarl_Cabot]

He currently has a three picture contract to portray James Bond. He was born to be Bond.

[Lounge Lizard]

You Only Live Twice was released in June 1967. His mother and father found sweet honey love together in the back row of the Odeon on Northgate Street in Chester, during the boring wedding bit. Daniel Craig was born nine months later. On that basis, he was conceived to be Bond

And the two Odeon ushers, who played peeping tom to the Craigs's blissful moment of passion, had first names beginning with 'M' and 'Q'. It's uncanny.

In the words of Maynard Flint and Quentin Burlston: 'We immediately knew that, if there were to be a child, the little one was going to be special.'

Edited by Lounge Lizard, 25 November 2005 - 05:03 PM.

[Jim]

Daniel rhymes with Spaniel
Spaniel is a style of doggy
Doggy-style is...

...um...

Born to be Bond!

[Loomis]

Ted Hughes once wrote a poem called Pike. This may have been a premonition that the actress Rosamund Pike would appear in Die Another Day.

Also, Craig looks as though he may be a pikey. HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!!!! HE WAS BORN TO BE BOND!!!!!!!!

[spynovelfan]

Between 2001-03, three rumored Bond candidates starred alongside Angelina Jolie: Craig in Lara Croft, Tomb Raider

With Richard Johnson - Terence Young's choice for Dr No back in 1962. BtbB!

I think we've all missed the really obvious one. Bond is compared to Hoagy Carmichael in Fleming's novels (twice). Craig once hummed a Hoagy tune... No, sorry, Craig is the spitting bloody image of Hoagmeister, and I'm not taking the carmichael:

Daniel Craig BtbB:



Hoagy Carmichael:

[Loomis]

Craig has a role in LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER, which features music by Bono and The Edge. Bond luminaries such as Stuart Baird (editor of CASINO ROYALE and rumoured potential DIE ANOTHER DAY director), Lindy Hemming and Simon Crane also worked on the film.

Like Timothy Dalton, Craig had established himself as a serious dramatic ac-tor prior to being cast as Bond.

Craig's LAYER CAKE cohorts Sienna Miller and Matthew Vaughn are or were rumoured as potential CASINO ROYALE personnel.

Craig appears to be no slouch when it comes to pulling beautiful women.

In this year's ARCHANGEL, Craig wanders around a cold, grey Bourne-esque Moscow, being very reminiscent of Dalton in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, and seducing women, and dodging villains with a plot straight out of a Gardner novel. There's even a scene right out of a Connery or Moore outing in which a pretty receptionist makes eyes at him, and his character losing his virginity to a prostitute as a teenager (no, I'm not maing this up) is a suitably Flemingian touch.

Craig plays an Israeli intelligence agent in Spielberg's MUNICH (or at least I imagine he does). (I wonder whether Bond fans will come to speak of Craig's role in MUNICH and other work in similar terms to how many speak of Brosnan in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR and THE TAILOR OF PANAMA. You know: "If only Eon had let Craig be as gritty as he is in LAYER CAKE. ... Craig's best performance as Bond is actually in MUNICH. ...")

In 1986, Timothy Dalton and Sylvester McCoy do a play together - one goes on to be Bond, the other Dr Who. In 1996, Daniel Craig and Christopher Eccleston work together (in "Our Friends in the North")....

Craig seems an exceptionally chameleonlike actor, as was former Bond (in - spookily enough - CASINO ROYALE) Peter Sellers.

[Loomis]

I'll bet he's making her a quiche. Born to be Bond or what?

[Double-Oh Agent]

Craig, an ethical drug dealer, assassinates his boss in his boss's garden in the film Layer Cake. Bond, an ethical government assassin, tries to kill his boss in his boss' office in the novel The Man With The Golden Gun. Craig was born to be Bond!

Craig steals Sienna Miller away from under Jude Law's nose. Bond steals Paris Carver out from under Elliot Carver's nose. Craig was born to be Bond!

Bond #6 Craig is in Munich with Geoffrey Rush. Rush was in The Tailor Of Panama with Bond #5 Pierce Brosnan. Craig was born to be Bond!

Craig is good friends with Barbara Broccoli the co-producer of the 007 series. Craig was born to be Bond!

Craig is British. Bond is half-British. Craig was born to be Bond!

[dinovelvet]

Daniel Craig's initials are DC. In Diamonds are Forever, Blofeld considers firing his satellite at Washington DC.

Daniel Craig was born to be Bond!

[Dmitri Mishkin]

He is from Chester. HMS Chester is one of the boats in Tomorrow Never Dies. He was born to be Bond.

He has lovely golden hair. Golden Hair is nearly the same as GoldenEye. He was born to be Bond.

He has never been known to suck out the contents of a radiator. Neither has James Bond. He was born to be Bond.

"Daniel Craig is James Bond" is an anagram of "Daniel Craig is James Bond". He was born to be Bond.

His middle name is Wroughton. James Bond doesn't have a middle name, but if he did, it would be Wroughton (fact!). He was born to be Bond.

He was born on 2 March 1968, a day when someone somewhere was watching or thinking about James Bond in some way. He was born to be Bond.

He has used the word "the" in conversation. So has James Bond. He was born to be Bond.

He was in Sylvia. So, in a manner of speaking, was James Bond. He was born to be Bond

His dad is called Tim. You know the rest. He was born to be Bond

He was nominated for a 2002 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Number at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs. 007 is a number. He was born to be Bond.

He was in a film about Francis Bacon. James Bond once ate some bacon, probably. He was born to be Bond.

Brilliant, Jim.

[Double-Oh-Zero]

Daniel Craig's birth name was James Bond. He legally changed it to Daniel Craig once he got into acting to avoid complications (that's fact, that is). Born to play Bond!

Colm Meaney stars in Craig's film "Layer Cake." James Bond can be a bit of a meaney, on occasion. Born to play Bond!

In "Layer Cake," Daniel Craig's character sells drugs. In the novels, James Bond takes drugs. Born to play Bond!

Daniel Craig appears shirtless in Layer Cake. Bond appears shirtless in many films. Born to play Bond!

Daniel Craig's last name has one syllable. James....BOND. One syllable. Born to play Bond!

Daniel Craig's film "Munich" is directed by Steven Spielberg. Spielberg (almost) directed a James Bond movie. Born to play Bond!

Daniel Craig has the letters "a," "n," and "e" in his name. So does James Bond. Born to play Bond!

James Bond's testicles got a good walloping from a carpet beater. Daniel Craig's (may) have as well. Born to play Bond!

Daniel Craig starred in "The Jacket." James Bond has worn a jacket. Born to play Bond!

Daniel Craig starred in "I Dreamed of Africa." James Bond's dreams have probably featured Africa. Born to play Bond!

Daniel Craig played rugby whilst in school. Has James Bond ever denied playing rugby? Well, then! Born to play Bond!

[killkenny kid]

He hates guns, he was born to play Bond.

He signed the contract, he was born to play Bond.

[JimmyBond]

The Bond series celebrated its 40th anniversary 4 years ago. Daniel Craig is almost 40...Born to be Bond!

[Mister Asterix]

Daniel Craig played Master Kane in A Kid in King Arthur's Court. Michael Caine was in The Man Who Would Be King with Sean Connery. Eerie.

(BtPB)

From Ian Fleming’s Live and Let Die:

CHAPTER I
THE RED CARPET

THERE are moments of great luxury in the life of a secret agent. There are assignments on which he is required to act the part of a very rich man; occasions when he takes refuge in good living to efface the memory of danger and the shadow of death; and times when, as was now the case, he is a guest in the territory of an allied Secret Service.
From the moment the BOAC Stratocruiser taxied up to the International Air Terminal at Idlewild, James Bond was treated like royalty.
When he left the aircraft with the other passengers he had resigned himself to the notorious purgatory[...]

(BtPB)

Daniel Craig was in the film Hotel Splendide. (Hey, that’s a good one). Born to be in Casino Royale.

[Harmsway]

Daniel Craig is actually Sean Connery's illegitimate child (it happened on a night in the late 60s when Connery was taking that LSD that he was prescribed). The same genes that birthed the film character shall carry it on to new heights.

[Mister Asterix]

Like Sean Connery, Craig has appeared in a Indiana Jones adventure and has co-starred with Catherine Zeta-Jones. Unlike Connery, Craig did both at the same time.

(BtPB)

He was in Sylvia. So, in a manner of speaking, was James Bond. He was born to be Bond

Craig was not only in Sylvia, he also was in The Trench. (Cue the Steppenwolf music.) Born To Be Bo-ond

[medrecess]

The first word that Daniel said when he was born was 007.He was born to be Bond.

[K1Bond007]

The first word that Daniel said when he was born was 007.He was born to be Bond.

How do you say '007' in one word?

[Mister Asterix]

The first word that Daniel said when he was born was 007.He was born to be Bond.

How do you say '007' in one word?

[mra]

[Jim]

Like Sean Connery, Craig has appeared in a Indiana Jones adventure and has co-starred with Catherine Zeta-Jones. Unlike Connery, Craig did both at the same time.

(BtPB)

He was in Sylvia. So, in a manner of speaking, was James Bond. He was born to be Bond

Craig was not only in Sylvia, he also was in The Trench. (Cue the Steppenwolf music.) Born To Be Bo-ond

God's willy, that's spooky.

[Mister Asterix]

Daniel Craig was Ian Fleming’s first choice to play James Bond in Longitude 78 West in 1959 but was unavailable due to contractual obligations with HBO’s "Tales from the Crypt".

Daniel Craig starred in 1963’s 1000 Shapes of a Female with Robyn Hilton.
Robyn Hilton was in 1965’s The Naked World of Harrison Marks with Valentine Dyall
Valentine Dyall was in 1952’s Salute the Toff with Ian Fleming

In 1997 Pierce Brosnan starred in a film named Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.