Daniel Craig is very "grateful" that his final James Bond movie 'No Time to Die' made it to cinemas amidst uncertainly caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 53-year-old actor - who has played James Bond in the iconic film series since 2006 - bowed out of the franchise in September 2021 after the release of his fifth film and expressed his gratitude towards MGM for holding out for a cinema release, because the blockbuster should be seen on the big screen.
He said: "We've had 18 months of the world being in a very strange place, so we have to put everything into perspective really. I think we've all had a difficult time of it. I'm just very grateful to MGM and Universal Pictures for holding their nerve and keeping it so we can watch it in the cinema, because that's where James Bond movies need to be seen. All big movies belong in the cinema."
The award-winning star also spoke of his final days shooting as the 007 character, noting that while most movies are something of an anti-climax, for his final day as Bond, the whole cast pulled together so say goodbye.
He told America's OK! magazine: "It was very simple, just walking down an alleyway. Often in movies, the last day of shooting is very anti-climactic. You're finishing off things and you say, 'See ya, thank you, love you, bye' but amazingly the cast and crew and everyone came down to the set to say goodbye. I had to make a speech, and I hate making speeches! But it was a beautiful moment!"
Reflecting on his 15-year-tenure as James Bond he said: "I was incredibly privileged to have been given the opportunity to try to reinvent the role and bring something new to it. We've been able to tell a story throughout five movies, and in this one we're wrapping things up. I hope I've helped build the character and that it's a great thing we've brought to the films. And, also, I suppose, every actor leaves a bit of themselves in a role; that's always the way it is. And I suppose there's a bit of me in James Bond, even though there's not a lot of James Bond in me! So I'm proud of that."
