Daniel Craig has had a hugely diverse career in the last decade or so. On the one hand, he is known for playing James Bond. He appeared in five post-20th-century Bond movies, beginning with Casino Royale in 2006. At the same time, Craig’s career has included non-Bond dramas, including the 2008 war thriller Defiance, and the book adaptation thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. In the last five years, Craig has also been known as Benoit Blanc, the charismatic detective from the Knives Out movies.
Craig was so good as Benoit Blanc that many thought he deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Though he did get acting nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes both years, the actor was snubbed at the Oscars for both Knives Out and its sequel. Despite this academy neglect, this awards year might finally be Craig’s chance to earn the Oscar attention he so deserves. The film for which he might be nominated comes out in limited release soon.
Craig’s Performance Of One Key Aspect In Queer Shocked A Consultant
Queer Has Earned Craig Oscar Buzz
Craig and Luca Guadagnino reveal that an element of his performance in the movie Queer shocked a consultant. Queer is a drama film about an American expatriate man named William Lee who recounts his stories in Mexico City. Among these tales includes Lee’s love affair with a much younger man, Eugene Allerton. Queer is directed by Guadagnino and features a leading cast including Craig, Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Daan de Wit, and Henrique Zaga. This film has gained Craig Oscar’s buzz for Best Actor.
Queer is set for a limited release in theaters on November 27.
Speaking with The New York Times, Craig and Guadagnino talk about the actor’s depiction of drug use in the film. Craig and Guadagnino discussed a scene, shot in real-time, wherein Lee cooks and shoots up heroin while alone in his apartment. According to the director, this sequence saw the film’s consultant, a former drug addict, shaking and in pain. The consultant reportedly noted that “This artist is rendering the experience of my life in four minutes.” Craig added that he “recognize[s] the character in [him]self.” Check out their full quotes below:
Craig: I’ve known plenty of people with drug habits, and it’s not pretty.
Guadagnino: I was totally certain that scene had to play in real time, without any infringement of the fiction. [The consultant] said to me, ‘This artist is rendering the experience of my life in four minutes.’ Daniel made that gentleman feel so connected, hurt and, at the same time, elated. It was one of the great moments of my life.
Craig: I recognize the character in myself. I recognize the pain, the longing, the yearning, the love, the difficulty and all the faults.
Our Take On What This Means For Craig’s Queer Performance
Craig’s Role Sounds Intense
This most recent description of Craig’s performance only adds to his Oscar potential. The Academy tends to award performances when actors go to extreme lengths, either on a physical or dramatic scale, for their roles. While Craig’s physical transformation may be more slight than some actors have seen in the past, the Queer scene described highlights the intensity of the role. Said intensity could translate well to Academy recognition as Craig eyes an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Source: NYT
An American expat in 1950s Mexico City, struggling with isolation and the remnants of his past, becomes infatuated with a younger man, sparking an intense and obsessive relationship.
- Director
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Luca Guadagnino
- Release Date
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October 6, 2024
- Writers
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William S. Burroughs
, Justin Kuritzkes - Runtime
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135 Minutes
