Hailed as one if the finest actors of his generation on stage, screen and television, Daniel Craig is agent 007 James Bond of the British Secret Service MI6. Craig returns to the role following his highly acclaimed debut in Casino Royale, the highest grossing James Bond film in the history of the 007 franchise.
Daniel Craig was born in Chester and bought up in Liverpool, leaving there to join the National Youth Theatre in London at the age of seventeen. He continued his training at the prestigious London Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1991.
Craig made his film debut in 1992 in the South African boxing drama The Power of One, but came to the attention of critics and casting directors in the much lauded 1996 television drama serial Our Friends in the North, playing Geordie Peacock.
In 1998 he played George Dyer, painter Francis Bacon's working class boyfriend in John Maybury's powerful biopic Love is the Devil. In 2000 he was recognised as one of European Films' 'Shooting Stars'.
This was followed by roles Hollywood blockbuster Lara Croft, Tomb Raider in which he played Lara Croft's boyfriend, the ensemble black comedy Hotel Splendide and The Trench, written and directed by the acclaimed author William Boyd.
In 2002, Craig starred in Sam Mendes' film, The Road to Perdition, receiving critical acclaim for his portrayal of Connor Rooney, the troubled son of crime boss John Rooney played by Paul Newman.
The following year he starred in The Mother, a powerful drama directed by Roger Michell in which he played a young man who has an affair with a 60-year-old woman. This was followed by the role of Ted Hughes, starring opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in Sylvia about the lives of poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath.
In 2004, Craig took leading roles in Enduring Love, directed by Roger Michell, adapted from Ian McEwan's novel, and Layer Cake; Matthew Vaughn's successful directorial debut about the contemporary criminal drug scene.
A role in John Maybury's thriller The Jacket starring alongside Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley, was followed by the lead in the TV adaptation of Robert Harris' bestselling novel Archangel, and a leading role in Steven Spielberg's Oscar® nominated Munich.
In 2006 Craig played Perry Smith in Infamous opposite Toby Jones as Truman Capote (writer of bestselling novel In Cold Blood) based on the murders committed by Smith and Dick Hickock.
After his acclaimed debut as James Bond in Casino Royale, Daniel Craig teamed up with Nicole to star in The Golden Compass, a film based on the first novel in the Philip Pullman trilogy. Followed by Flashbacks of a Fool written and directed by Baillie Walsh and, most recently, Defiance directed by Edward Zwick - both are due for release in 2008.
Alongside his film work, Craig is acknowledged as a highly accomplished stage actor. His credits include leading roles in Hurlyburly, with the Peter Hall Company at the Old Vic, Angels in America at the National Theatre, and in 2002 he was nominated for a London Evening Standard Award for his performance in A Number, playing three roles opposite Michael Gambon.