Daniel Craig has given us a tender and ‘woke’ 007, Young Bond author Charlie Higson says

Charlie Higson, the author of the Young Bond novels, has said that Daniel Craig has given us a “woke 007”, who is “tender”, not afraid to show emotions, and “gets into the shower in his tuxedo to comfort a woman”.

The English actor has played the role of James Bond in the eponymous film series since 2006’s Casino Royale, which brought him international fame. His fifth and final Bond film, No Time To Die, is set to be released next week on 30 September.

“Coming out of the sea in skimpy shorts made him the sex object, not Eva Green,” the 63-year-old said, according to the Radio Times. Green is the French actor who played Bond’s love interest in Casino Royale.

Higson noted that the character of James Bond has developed tremendously since British writer Ian Fleming created the series in 1953.

“Would the original Bond survive in our modern world, or would cancel culture succeed where Spectre has failed so often and finish him off for good?” the author asked.

He claimed that Fleming’s James Bond would also be bewildered by current society:“He’d be able to mansplain the correct temperature that champagne should be served at, but he’d be all at sea trying to negotiate the correct use of pronouns.”

However, he also pointed out that Fleming “kicked against the old-fashioned, 1950s view that women should be simpering housewives, put on a pedestal and wooed”. Women in Fleming’s books were “athletic and independent just like the heroines in the new film”, Higson added.

Craig, who is a co-producer for No Time To Die, has been vocal about ensuring the inclusion of multi-faceted female characters in the Bond franchise.

“There are certain things attached to Bond of which we would say: ‘No, you can’t do that anymore’,” Craig told the Radio Times. “We’re very conscious of what’s going on in the world at the moment, but we’re still storytellers, we’re still trying to entertain an audience.”

The 53-year old actor said he was “more naked than the women” in the upcoming film, adding: “I’ve designed it that way.”

Craig got emotional after filming his final scene as James Bond on the upcoming No Time to Die, according to Apple TV’s documentary, Being James Bond, released earlier this month.

In the documentary, Craig reflects on his time as 007 across five films: Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and No Time to Die.

The documentary shows Craig wrapping up filming for his final scene and then giving a speech to the crew. He told them: “I’ve loved every single second of these movies.”

Craig also said: “A lot of people here worked on five pictures with me, and I know there’s a lot of things said about what I think about these films. But I’ve loved every single second of these movies, and especially this one because I’ve got up every morning and I’ve had the chance to work with you guys. And that has been one of the greatest honours of my life.”

During the speech, Craig visibly starts to tear up and dabs at his eyes as the crew listen attentively and then burst into applause.