10 Daniel Craig Roles You'd Completely Forgotten He Once Played

We know him best as James Bond and Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion – but do you remember him in Star Wars?
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Dimitrios Kambouris via Getty Images

Since stepping down as one of the longest-serving and most popular James Bond actors, Daniel Craig is now known to a whole new audience as detective Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series.

As well as his two most prolific roles, many will recognise the Bafta-nominated star for his turns in films like Elizabeth, Layer Cake and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

But what about some of his lesser-known and oft-overlooked roles?

Here are 10 Daniel Craig roles you may have forgotten the former 007 star once played…

Heartbeat

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ITV

Disappointingly, unlike most British actors starting out, Daniel has no embarrassing pre-fame The Bill, Holby City or Casualty appearances to his name. Shame.

The closest thing is one of his first on-screen appearances in an episode of the long-running ITV period drama Heartbeat back in 1993. 

Drop The Dead Donkey

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Channel 4

Around the same time as his Heartbeat appearance, Daniel landed a one-off role in the Channel 4 sitcom Drop The Dead Donkey, which was set in the offices of a fictional news station.

He appeared in the season three episode George And His Daughter, in which he got on the wrong side of George Dent, portrayed by Jeff Rawle.

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

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Lucasfilm

Who remembers The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles? No, us neither. But the future 007 appeared in an episode of the short-lived Indy prequel, playing a German officer during World War I.

Daniel’s character was shot dead by Indiana Jones – played in this version by US actor Sean Patrick Flanery – over the course of the episode. 

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

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Paramount

Long before taking the lead in one of the most famous action franchises of all time, Daniel appeared alongside then-recent Oscar winner Angelina Jolie in a very different one.

While Angelina took the lead as Lara Croft in the big-screen adaptation of the hit PlayStation game Tomb Raider, Daniel played her rival, Alex West.

Sylvia

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Focus/Kobal/Shutterstock

This oft-forgotten biopic about Sylvia Plath starred Gwyneth Paltrow in the lead role as the Bell Jar author.

Daniel played her husband and fellow writer Ted Hughes, with the film chronicling their first meeting at university and ending in Sylvia’s suicide seven years later.

The Mother

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One of the more unusual films in Daniel Craig’s back catalogue is The Mother, in which he plays the much younger lover of Anne Reid.

The film proved to be pretty divisive upon its release, thanks to its challenging themes and rather bleak tone, but it did earn the former Coronation Street and Dinnerladies star her first Bafta nomination.

Enduring Love

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Based on Ian McEwan’s novel of the same name, Enduring Love saw Daniel sharing the screen with a seriously impressive cast.

Joining him in the physiological thriller were Rhys Ifans and Samantha Morton, with Bill Nighy, Ben Whishaw, Anna Maxwell Martin and the late Helen McCrory in supporting roles.

The Golden Compass

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One of Daniel’s first film roles after landing the part of James Bond was in the big-screen adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s Northern Lights.

He played Lord Asriel, the adventurer uncle of protagonist Lyra Belacqua. Also among the cast were Nicole Kidman, Sam Elliott, Eva Green and Derek Jacobi. 

The Catherine Tate Show: Red Nose Day Special 

 

Back in 2007, Daniel was able to show off a rather different side to himself when he joined Catherine Tate for a Comic Relief special of her hit sketch show.

He appeared as himself alongside Catherine’s unlucky-in-love character Elaine Figgis, who wound up matched with him on an internet dating site, without realising he’s one of the most famous actors in the world. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

 

You’d be forgiven for not realising that Daniel Craig appeared in the first instalment of the rebooted Star Wars saga, as it was a cameo that was kept on the downlow, with the actor disguised by a Stormtrooper uniform.

Unlike other stars who made cameos as Stormtroopers in the latest trilogy – including Gary Barlow, Tom Hardy, Ed Sheeran and even Princes William and Harry – Daniel actually had a line in The Force Awakens, in which he played Stormtrooper FN-1824. Catchy.