As a long-time fan of the Bond franchise, I’ve always been in awe of the daring stunts and action sequences that have become synonymous with these iconic films. However, reading about the on-set injuries that the cast and crew have suffered over the years has given me a whole new perspective on the series.
Daniel Craig is destined to be remembered as one of the finest actors to embody James Bond in film history. To many, he is the most thrilling, displaying exceptional talent across his five movies. Craig portrays Britain’s casual yet noble spy with finesse, combining poise and insight to balance his reserved emotionality.
However, the Cheshire-born actor’s career didn’t kick off smoothly. When it was announced that he would wear the tuxedo, there were doubts. He didn’t resemble Ian Fleming’s written character or what fans had grown accustomed to seeing on screen. Fortunately, he soon won everyone over, demonstrating that James Bond’s charm is his most crucial trait, not his looks.
Fans of the Bond franchise hold Craig’s debut movie, “Casino Royale,” in high esteem. With elements drawn from Fleming’s initial novel, the film boasts several memorable moments. From Daniel Craig as 007 pursuing a bomb maker across a construction site in Madagascar to his involvement in a Texas hold ’em poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro, the movie leaves audiences spellbound on multiple occasions.
Nevertheless, Craig found the filming challenging. Although stuntmen aided him in many sequences, he had to perform certain tasks personally. Consequently, he suffered the loss of two front teeth during the shooting of a memorable scene at the beginning of the film.
Daniel Craig Lost His Teeth Shooting Casino Royale’s Opening Scene
In the opening scenes of “Casino Royale,” Daniel Craig delivers a nuanced portrayal, gradually shifting from steely composure to unbridled fury. This transition unfolds against a black-and-white backdrop.
In this scenario, we find a younger James Bond who gains his “license to kill” and is promoted to double-O agent status by eliminating Dryden, MI6’s chief in the Czech Republic, and his accomplice, Fisher. It’s uncovered that Dryden has been illegally selling MI6’s confidential information on the black market, forcing M into a difficult position where she must authorize his assassination.
In the movie, the opening scene and the very first scenes shot featured the series of events. The fight between Bond and Dryden, in particular, was extremely intense, and it’s during this sequence that Daniel Craig sustained his injury.
Once Craig got the role, there was a broad effort to tarnish his reputation. Online fans often ridiculed him, while parts of the press scrutinized the filming process intensely to find any hints of wrongdoing. Consequently, word of his injury spread rapidly.
At the time, an inside source told Daily Mirror,
During a scene with some lesser-known actors, Daniel unexpectedly got struck in the face. The impact was severe, causing him to stumble backward while clutching his wounded face. Despite the pain, he refrained from making a scene. Fortunately, the incident won’t have any negative impact on the film production.
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I must share an interesting tidbit about one film’s production process. In this particular project, when our leading man, aged 37 at the time, found himself in need of dental attention, they didn’t hesitate to bring over a dentist all the way from England!
On-Set Injuries Are Common in Bond Movies
Injuries during filming, particularly those related to action scenes, are common in Bond films. The trend started with the second movie in the series, “From Russia with Love.” During this production, actor Walter Gotell, who played the villain Morzeny, sustained facial burns due to an explosion. Additionally, it’s reported that the art director Michael White, several stunt performers, and a cameraman were also injured.
In Goldfinger, the events from Connery’s era persisted, as the main actor, in the course of a fight with Harold Sakata – renowned for portraying the franchise’s most formidable henchman, Oddjob – sustained an injury to his hand. Unyielding, he demanded a contract renegotiation, securing a 5% share of the profits. Likewise, Sakata suffered burns on his hands after gripping electrified metal bars.
During the time when Roger Moore played James Bond, Martin Grace, a frequent stunt double for the actor, suffered a severe injury on the set of Octopussy in 1983. In a sequence where Bond leaps from one train car to another, Martin executed the jump perfectly, but unfortunately, the train suddenly halted due to an emergency stop. As a result, his pelvis was fractured, and he sustained a serious injury to his leg.
After Pierce Brosnan took over, an interesting event occurred during the filming of fight scenes. Famke Jansen, who played the intense character Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye, sustained a broken rib when she collided with Brosnan at his insistence, delivering a powerful impact against a wall. Subsequent significant incidents were limited until Brosnan’s last film, Die Another Day. During this production, he suffered a shoulder injury that necessitated a temporary halt in filming. Additionally, Halle Berry experienced a serious mishap when debris from a smoke grenade entered her eye. She required surgery to extract it, but fortunately, her eyesight remained unscathed.
As Craig’s role progressed beyond Casino Royale, more incidents occurred. During the fight scene in Spectre, the actor injured his ankle, but this was minor compared to Terry Madden’s accident. While filming, a runaway truck carrying cameras struck Madden, shattering both his legs. He needed surgery for several bone fractures, and as a result, he filed a lawsuit.
It’s not unexpected for hiccups to occur during filming, given the numerous thrilling action scenes in such an extended series like this one. Over a prolonged period like James Bond’s franchise, mishaps are bound to happen. Fingers crossed, the next Bond will have a smoother production experience.
Casino Royale
is available to stream in the US on Prime Video
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2024-10-06 19:01