James Bond Casting Director Felt Sorry for Daniel Craig After Backlash

[Animous]

James Bond casting director, Debbie McWilliams, revealed that she still feels sorry for Daniel Craig—star of the long-awaited 007 installment No Time To Die—after facing criticisms following his confirmation as the new Bond 15 years ago. McWilliams has established herself as a quiet yet significant figure in the James Bond Franchise for over three decades. McWilliams is the casting director responsible for recruiting legendary actors Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan to play Bond before Craig stepped into the role. And with No Time To Die being his final performance as the savvy MI6 agent, the question of who McWilliams will scout to be Hollywood's next Bond is sure to send the rumor mill into overdrive.

No Time To Die is the 25th (and longest) Bond movie and Craig's 5th and final performance as the martini-sipping spy. His first film in the role, Casino Royale, was a massive critical success and reignited widespread interest in the Bond franchise. Additionally, Skyfall scored big at the box office, grossing $1.109 billion worldwide. With Skyfall being widely considered one of the best 007 films of all time, it's hard to imagine how Craig's Bond casting was once so heavily criticized. But it's safe to say that any actor stepping into the shoes of Brosnan's legendary Bond portrayal was bound to face some nostalgia-ridden scrutiny.

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While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, McWilliams said she “felt sorry” for Craig after his casting announcement led to extreme backlash from the press. The casting director described the press response as "unbelievably negative" after critics said Craig's shorter 5'10" stature, blond hair, and athletic abilities led some to think the actor couldn't live up to the iconic part. But after 15 years, Craig has successfully proved to audiences that he's more than capable of playing Bond. McWilliams added, “Craig’s going to be a tough act to follow.” Her full quote can be read below:

"It was unbelievably negative, I have to say. The press response was awful and I felt so sorry for him, but in a funny kind of a way I think it almost spurred him on to do his damndest to prove everybody wrong. The whole way through the film, stuff would come out about [how] he couldn’t walk and talk, he couldn’t run, he couldn’t drive a car properly, so much stuff which was completely and utterly untrue. And he just kept his head down, got on with the job and then the film came out and everybody went, ‘Oh wow, I think we quite like him after all.'”

When thinking of plague time movie releases, No Time To Die is probably the first to come to mind. It was the first big-budget blockbuster to be postponed out of health and safety precautions, acting as a sort of representation of the pandemic-era box office. With its original release date of November 2019, the film has officially been delayed for roughly two years. The delay is the longest audiences have had to wait for a COVID-delayed Hollywood premiere thus far. No Time To Die was initially postponed to February 2020 and was later moved to April 2020 after then-director Danny Boyle's departure. In October 2020, the film was delayed again to April 2021. Still, after it became apparent theatrical showings would not see full demand, it was rescheduled once more to its final premiere date of October 8th, 2021.

It's no secret that Craig's initial reluctance to return to the role of 007 after Spectre, a global pandemic, conflicts within the creative team, and Amazon's massive buyout of MGM Studios contributed to a shaky production. But from what audiences have seen in trailers and teaser photos, No Time To Die looks like it could be Craig's most triumphant Bond movie yet. With a moody soundtrack by Grammy award-winning artist Billie Eilish and an A-list cast including Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, and Léa Seydoux, it certainly has the potential to succeed. After more than a few bumps along the way, the highly-anticipated No Time to Die finally debuts in theaters on October 8th.

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