Daniel Craig

Daniel Wroughton Craig (born 2 March 1968) is an English actor and film producer. His early film roles included The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert. He went on to star in his breakthrough performances The Trench, Layer Cake, The Golden Compass and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Craig became a household name when he was cast as the sixth actor to portray the fictional secret agent James Bond in the long-running Eon Productions film series. He made his début as the character in the 2006 film, Casino Royale to critical acclaim and was nominated for a BAFTA award. His most recent Bond film, the 22nd James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, was released in the UK on 31 October 2008 and in the North America on 14 November 2008.

In November 2008, Open Salon named Daniel Craig one of its sexiest men living. According to Men's Vogue, Craig is now the highest paid actor in Britain.

Craig was born at 41 Liverpool Road, Chester, the son of Olivia (née Williams), an art teacher, and Timothy John Wroughton Craig, who served as a midshipman in the Merchant Navy and worked in various occupations when he came ashore. Craig was brought up on the Wirral, Cheshire. His father was the landlord of the pubs "Ring 'O Bells" and "The Boot Inn". He began acting in school plays at age six. Craig moved to London when he was sixteen to join the National Youth Theatre after a brief stay at Caldy. He and his brother Adam attended Hilbre High School and Calday Grange Grammar School in West Kirby. He played for Hoylake Rugby Club. He attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at the Barbican and graduated in 1991 after three years of study under Colin McCormack.

Following an introduction to international audiences as Angelina Jolie's rival and love interest in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), he continued his career in the United States in Sam Mendes's movie Road to Perdition (2002), with Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. Other leading film roles include Sword of Honour (2001), The Mother (2003) with Anne Reid, Sylvia (2003) with Gwyneth Paltrow, Layer Cake (2004) with Sienna Miller, Enduring Love (2004) with Rhys Ifans, Steven Spielberg's Munich (2005) with Eric Bana, Infamous (2006), and The Golden Compass (2007). He recently starred in Defiance (2008).