Daniel Wroughton Craig, the sixth and current James Bond actor, turns 42 years old today. The entire CommanderBond.net Team would like to wish the Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace star all the best wishes on his birthday.

Daniel Craig – A Biography

• 1968: Daniel Craig is born on 2 March to Tim and Carol Craig at 41 Liverpool Road, Chester, Cheshire, England.
• 1973: Craig is introduced to the James Bond franchise when his father takes him to the cinema to see Roger Moore’s debut entry in the series, Live and Let Die.
• 1974: Craig begins acting in school plays, making his debut in the production of Oliver! at the Frodsham Primary School.
• 1984: At the age of 16, Craig moves to London, where he auditions and is accepted into the National Youth Theatre troupe, eventually touring in Spain and Russia. He makes his debut in William Shakespeare’s ‘Troilus And Cressida’.

• 1988: Craig is accepted to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied along other actors such as Ewan McGregor, Alistair McGowan and Joseph Fiennes.
• 1991: Craig graduates from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
• 1992: Craig marries Scottish actress Fiona Loudon, with whom he has a daughter, Ella. The two eventually divorce in 1994. Craig remains fiercely private when it comes to discussing his family with the media–he said in 2007: ‘I don’t like talking about my personal life. If I start talking about it then it is out there. And someone talking about themselves all the time is, quite frankly, f–ing boring.’ Craig also makes his film debut in Bryce Courtenay’s The Power of One as Sgt. Botha and guest stars on The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert along with Catherine Zeta-Jones.


Daniel Craig in Tomb Raider

• 1993: Craig stars in the ITV military drama Sharpe’s Eagle, playing Lieutenant Berry. The adaptation also stars Brian Cox, Daragh O’Malley, Assumpta Serna and future James Bond villain Sean Bean. He also makes brief appearances on various other television programs, including: “Zorro”, “Between the Lines” and “Heartbeat”.
• 1995: Craig stars as Master Kane in Walt Disney’s A Kid in King Arthur’s Court. The role was originally given to Sean Penn, but the actor dropped out of the project over disagreements with director Michael Gottlieb.


Daniel Craig in Layer Cake

• 1996: Craig receives his first leading role along with co-stars Christopher Eccleston, Gina McKee and Mark Strong in the BBC2 drama “Our Friends in the North”. He also starred in Saint Ex, a film biography of French writer/aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
• 1997: Craig stars in John McHale’s Obsession and on the TV mystery drama The Ice House as D.S. Andy McLoughlin.
• 1998: Craig has a small part as John Ballard in Elizabeth, acting opposite Cate Blanchett and his “Our Friends in the North” co-star, Christopher Eccleston.
• 1999: Craig stars as Sgt. Telford Winter in The Trench , an action drama centering on a group of young British soldiers on the eve of the Battle of the Somme.


Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig

• 2001: Craig shoots to international fame with his performance in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider opposite Angelina Jolie.
• 2002: He then appeared in a supporting role in Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition, opposite Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law.
• 2003: Craig stars opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in the British biopic Sylvia and in the British film The Mother, directed by Roger Michell (who was originally in line to direct Craig’s future performance as 007 in Quantum of Solace.


Daniel Craig being announced to the world as the new James Bond

• 2004: Craig receives his biggest role to date in Matthew Vaughn’s British gangster thriller Layer Cake. Starring as the lead character known only as XXXX, Craig’s co-stars include Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon and Colm Meaney. Craig also reunited with director Roger Michell for Enduring Love.
• 2005: Numerous film roles for Craig followed in 2005, including Steven Spielberg’s Munich opposite Eric Bana and Geoffrey Rush, the psychological thriller The Jacket and the BBC TV drama Archangel.


The new James Bond: Daniel Craig

• 2005: On 14 October, Daniel Craig was officially announced to the world as the sixth James Bond actor, to take over from Pierce Brosnan. The news came at a London press conference, to which Craig arrived via a speedboat escorted by the Royal Navy. The actor was signed to a three-picture deal, starting with his then-forthcoming debut as Bond in Casino Royale. Former Bond actors Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan all eventually voiced their approval over the selection of Craig for the role. Click here for the complete announcement on CommanderBond.net.


Daniel Craig in The Golden Compass

• 2006: Daniel Craig makes his debut as 007 in Casino Royale. Following endless months of speculation by fans and attacks over the selection of a “blonde Bond”, Craig’s performance in Casino Royale was met with almost unanimous critical acclaim. To date, Casino Royale remains the highest-grossing James Bond film (inflation unadjusted) at $594 million worldwide. 2006 also saw the release of Craig’s Infamous and Renaissance, for which he provided his voice.
• 2007: Craig stars opposite Nicole Kidman in the fantasy epic The Golden Compass and with the actress again in the science-fiction remake The Invasion (which also featured his Bond co-star Jeffrey Wright). Craig also receives a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Casino Royale.


Daniel Craig returns as 007 in Quantum of Solace

• 2008: Craig returns as James Bond for a second time in Marc Forster’s Quantum of Solace. While not reaching quite the same level of critical acclaim of his 007 debut, the film was still a massive box office success around the world. Craig also had lead roles in the WWII Polish Resistance drama Defiance and the British drama Flashbacks of a Fool.
• 2009: Craig and Hugh Jackman headline the hugely successful Broadway play A Steady Rain.
• 2010: Upcoming projects for Craig include his third round as James Bond in Bond 23, reuniting with Steven Spielberg once again for The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, the sci-fi/action-themed Cowboys and Aliens and the thriller Dream House.

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