Daniel Craig reveals why he enjoys acting more since quitting James Bond 4 years ago

The name was Bond, James Bond.Daniel Craig has revealed why he appreciates his acting career even more since quitting the hit 007 franchise four years ago.“I suppose I started freeing myself up from any convention,” the “Knives Out” star, 57, told Radio Times during an interview published Tuesday.“I’m not saying no to things that I might have been a little bit wary about before.”“When the Bond thing was going on in my life, the juxtaposition between that and another role would sometimes feel self-conscious,” he added.But while Craig has turned in his license to kill, that doesn’t mean the beloved actor isn’t keeping himself busy with other roles.“I’m working harder than I ever have, but I’m also just enjoying it more than I ever have,” he admitted.

“I get to do really interesting, different stuff.”Craig first picked up the Walther PPK and stepped into the iconic role of Bond in 2006 for “Casino Royale.”He remained as the titular secret agent for four more movies across 15 years before retiring from the part after the release of “No Time to Die” in 2021.The “Cowboys & Aliens” star previously opened up about how playing Bond left him “empty,” despite the immense fame and popularity it brought him.“Early on with Bond I thought I had to do other work, but I didn’t,” Craig told The Sunday Times last year.“I was becoming a star, whatever that means, and people wanted me in their films.

Incredible.”“Most actors are out of work for large chunks, so you take your job offers – but they left me empty,” he added.“Then, bottom line, I got paid.”Craig went on to reveal that the grueling 007 role also affected his mental health.“I was so exhausted at the end of a Bond that it would take me six months to recover emotionally,” the “Queer” star shared.

“I always had the attitude that life must come first and, when work came first for a while, it strung me out.”More recently, Craig shared his thou...