In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast features in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy actors and creators. Join host and senior editor Vinnie Mancuso for this guide to living the creative life from those who are doing it every day.
Daniel Craig is one of the most accomplished actors of our time. He starred as James Bond in five films across 15 years, originated the iconic character of Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” franchise, and, most recently, delivered a devastatingly vulnerable performance in Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of William S. Burrough’s “Queer” (in limited theaters now, nationwide Dec. 13). But ask the man himself, and he’d prefer his artistry remain on the screen.
“There’s a kind of rule among my friends who are actors: You’re allowed to talk about acting a bit, but then after a while it’s like, ‘Shut the fuck up,’ ” Craig says with a laugh. “Of course you talk about it, because it’s this massive thing, but it’s really important to have an outside perspective on life. Really, really important, I think.”
Craig was not only gracious enough to let In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast break that rule, but he also dived deep into his earliest theater memories, his “Queer” performance, and why he thinks it’s vital for actors to keep part of the process to themselves.
Listen and subscribe to In the Envelope to hear our full conversation with Craig:
Craig believes in doing the work—and then letting it go on set.
“I like to think I’m a very hard worker and I take my job very, very seriously. But once you get on set, you’re there to play. The work you should have done, it should be behind you. You’re there to play, and you’ve got to be open. And in a lot of ways, for me, it’s really important: I have to leave my ego somewhere else. I’ve got to stop thinking about what I think about myself. I’ve been doing all that for months. I’ve said many times: I’ve won many Oscars in the bath. That doesn’t mean shit. What’s happening on set is the only thing that matters. I’ve been very fortunate to have just a wonderful array of actors in front of me who are there to do the same thing.
It’s not something I want to give away, a process that I use. And that’s probably because I couldn’t really describe it, because I’m kind of making it up through all the experiences I’ve had…. There’s no book I can use to say: ‘OK, page one, this is what I do.’ It doesn’t work like that.”
Daniel Craig in “Queer” Credit: Yannis Drakoulidis/A24
As an actor, he tries to avoid overthinking moments that call for subtlety.
“The first job I did was this movie called ‘The Power of One.’ The director was John G. Avildsen, who directed ‘Rocky.’ It was a big deal. And all he’d say after each take was, ‘God, you’re so still; it’s incredible.’ And I just didn’t have the guts to say to him, ‘Because I’m terrified.’ So, when people talk about stillness, it makes me laugh. There was a famous English actor who did a Scorsese movie, [‘Silence’], and there’s a scene with him where it’s on his face for a long time. And I remember this American interviewer asking him, ‘What were you thinking about?’ He went, ‘My lunch.’
I know these are silly stories, because I know actors are more serious than that, but to a certain degree, it’s kind of the truth. It’s like, the more you think about those things, the more you overthink them. Part of acting is inhabiting, but also the ability to empty yourself and allow a feeling to come in. Not to be front-loaded, to say, ‘I’m going to feel this; I’m going to do this.’ Literally, kind of clear yourself out, like a good enema, and then allow the feelings to hit you and react to them as you feel them.”
“Queer” features an extended single shot in which Craig’s character, American expat William Lee, injects heroin. It was captured on the first take.
“There’s always that thing you read in a script where your heart sinks. You go: Oh, Jesus, how the fuck are we going to do that? There was a man named Giovanni, a really sweet guy who was a user. He was around and I just sat with him. We went through the technical side of it. I’ve known drug addicts; I’ve known people high around me and watched them do what they do. But I talked to him about the feelings, and what I understood about it, [and] what he understood about it. Then we talked about getting it right, how Luca was going to film it, and then that was it.
I just didn’t want to talk about anything else because I had something in mind. I thought about the actual, physical chemical thing of injection, and when it hits you. [The character] wasn’t an intravenous heroin addict; he injected it into his muscle. It’s a slow process. It’s less of a wave, but it still comes on. So there’s very, very technical things. You say: I get that, get that, get that. And then we just ran the camera and shot the scene. We did it in one. I said to Luca, ‘Are we good?’ He was over-the-moon happy. Let’s move on. Let’s not do it again. Let’s not fuck it up.”