Daniel Craig shot to fame during his time as James Bond in the popular movie series, playing the spy in Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and No Time to Die (2021).
When Daniel first landed the role as 007, he was sure that the casting agents had made some kind of mistake.
“You’ve got the wrong guy,” he recalled telling the producers.
However, they were certain Daniel was the right actor to play the secret agent.
Daniel added: “Once I did find out, I was incredibly flattered and deeply confused. I just felt like I wasn’t the right person.”
But what was Daniel Craig like before he got the part of Mr Bond?
Here's everything you need to know.
Daniel Craig's early life
The former James Bond actor was born in Chester, Cheshire on March 2, 1968 to art teacher Carol and midshipman Timothy Craig.
He also has an older sister called Lea, who was born in 1965.
When Daniel's parents divorced in 1972, he and his sister moved to the Wirral Peninsula with their mother, where he attended a range of schools in the area.
Daniel began acting in school plays at the age of six, making his debut in the Frodsham Primary School production of Oliver!.
He soon became interested in serious acting by attending Liverpool's Everyman Theatre and at the age of 14, he played roles in Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella at Hilbre High School.
In 1984, he was accepted into the National Youth Theatre and moved to London, where he worked part-time in restaurants to finance his education.
He then entered the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1988, and graduated in 1991 after a three-year course.
What was Daniel Craig's breakthrough role?
Before Daniel was considered for the role as James Bond, he starred in Our Friends In The North – a BBC drama series which tells the story of four friends from Newcastle upon Tyne over a period of 31 years, from 1964 to 1995.
Daniel was a late auditionee for the role of Geordie in the series and at the audition, he performed the Geordie accent very poorly due to his Cheshire accent.
However, he won the part and it came to be regarded as his breakthrough role prior to James Bond.
Andrew Glancey, of the People’s Theatre in Heaton, acted as the rising star’s vocal coach at the time.
He told Chronicle Live in 2006: “Acting was Daniel’s real passion and he was fully focused on his career, so when I heard he’d been cast as Bond I was really pleased for him.”
Andrew added: “A national critic commented on the accents and said it was clear Daniel and one other actor were the only two real Northerners who had been cast. I laughed my socks off.”
Daniel then went on to star in HBO horror anthology series Tales From The Crypt; Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as the love interest of Lara Croft (played by Angelina Jolie), and thriller The Jacket starring Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley.
Daniel Craig's Bond diet and fitness
When Daniel found out he had got the role as Britain's favourite spy, he undertook a strict diet and training regime.
He was trained by former Royal Marine Simon Waterson, who has been Bond’s personal trainer for the last two decades.
Simon previously told GQ Magazine: “Daniel always has a clear vision of what he wanted and how to evolve the character physically and mentally.
"Dan had briefed me on his goals and was determined to get stuck in. No stone was left unturned in terms of developing speed, strength, stamina and a sharp, focused mind. "
He added: “The workouts were a blend of powerlifting, with a lot of compound exercises thrown in. This allows you to work out extremely hard with heavy weights, and because it's so intense the heart rate is elevated.
“After a few sessions it was clear Dan was a tough, athletic guy."
As Daniel continued his role as Mr Bond in multiple movies, his exercise regime changed.
Simon told GQ: "Movie to movie, the goalposts change with age, so the process takes slightly longer. What took six to eight months in Casino takes seven to eight months the next time, and so on and so on, until you get to No Time To Die, where he’s a little bit older and the process takes a year plus."
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