Daniel Craig makes his 007 debut at premiere of Casino Royale

Daniel Craig and Satsuki Mitchell: Craig poses with girlfriend Satsuki who looks far from happy being in the spotlight
11 April 2012
The Weekender

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As James Bond he is the debonair spy who glides effortlessly over the pitfalls of a complicated love life - as Daniel Craig life isn't so easy. The 007 actor appeared to have lost his ability to defuse awkward moments with a witty one-liner.

The 38-year-old's girlfriend, Satsuki Mitchell, 29, looked far from happy as she posed alongside his leading lady at the world premiere of Casino Royale in London.

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Craig's French co-star Eva Green looked stunning in an Alexander McQueen gown and was wearing £50,000 worth of jewellery by jewellery house Autore as she met fans at the premiere in Leicester Square.

In the film the actor has love scenes with a number of women including Miss Green who plays Treasury agent Vesper Lynd who is charged with ensuring Bond doesn't fritter away Government's money on his trip to Monte Carlo.

American film producer Miss Mitchell's mood won't have been improved by her rival's gushing praise for the new Bond.

Miss Green said: 'When filming, I thought he looked a bit like a Bond girl in his shorts as he came out of the sea. However, Daniel is visceral, sexy and vulnerable - in fact he's quite perfect.'

Dressed in the same Brioni tuxedo he wore in the film and bow tie the actor held Miss Mitchell's hand as he signed autographs and had photographs taken with fans.

More than 1,000 people had gathered in Leicester Square for the premiere of the movie - which was attended by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and was being shown in three cinemas simultaneously.

The Queen has previously attended the premieres of You Only Live Twice in 1967 and Die Another Day in 2002.

Asked whether he felt he proved he could play the role of the famous British secret agent

Craig, 38, said: 'I didn't set out to answer my critics, I just set out to make a good movie. 'This film has everything a Bond movie should have and much more.'

Asked what his favourite thing was about playing Bond the actor said 'that car', referring to the 200mph Aston Martin DBS coupe he gets to drive in the film.

He added: 'This is a fantastic experience. I'm just very excited to be here and I'm just trying to enjoy it.'

He said that on hearing he had won the role he had 'three or four large vodka martinis' - the favourite tipple of 007.

Craig takes over the role of Bond from Pierce Brosnan, 51, who has played the secret agent in four films but was considered too old to continue.

The actor has spent hours in the gym pumping up for his role in Casino Royale, the 21st film in the franchise that grew from Ian Fleming's spy novels.

Bond's latest outing sees him at the beginning of his career as a secret agent.

The fledgling spy is sent on his first mission to bankrupt a rogue financier named Le Chiffre - played by Mads Mikkelsen - who bankrolls the world's terrorists.

In order to stop him and bring down the terrorist network Bond must beat him in a game of high stakes poker at Casino Royale.

Although Craig has vowed to be a badder Bond diehard fans can rest assured that the secret agent has not lost his eye for the ladies.

Dame Judi Dench, 71, who reprises her role as M said she had enjoyed working with Craig.

'I haven't seen the film so I don't know what he's like as Bond but he is a very good actor and I really like Daniel,' she said.

Asked whether she thought he was sexy she said: 'I'm old enough to be his grandmother.'

The premiere was also attended by Sir Elton John and David Furnish, Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Richard Branson and Sharon Osbourne.

Sean Connery was the first to play Bond followed by George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Brosnan.

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