007 on set but an advocate for gender equality in reality. Actor Daniel Craig is no stranger to the issues facing women today, and he continues to remain vocal about the inequalities women face in Hollywood and in the world.
On International Women’s Day in previous years, he dressed in drag for a short film commissioned by the EQUALS campaign. Donning a blonde wig, a dress, and heels, Craig stands in this outfit as a representation of a man standing for women, while a wide range of facts regarding income inequality, education, and sexual assault against women are relayed within the first few minutes of the video.
“Women complete two-thirds of the work in the world yet only earn ten percent of the total income and own a mere one percent of the property. 70 million girls do not have access to a basic education, and 60 million girls are sexually abused on their way to school.”
The video also reveals that one in four women are victims of domestic violence in the UK, and that every week, two women are killed by a former partner.
Sam Taylor-Johnson, director of the video, felt it was crucial to involve men in the movement for women’s rights. Craig was all for it, recognizing the importance of shedding more light on these powerful statistics.
Craig remains aware of these issues when dealing with the media’s questions regarding his female co-stars. In the most recent Bond film, Spectre, Craig stars alongside the current femme fatale, Italian actress and model Monica Bellucci. Bellucci raised eyebrows when she was picked to be the film’s latest ‘Bond Girl’ due to her being in her 50s. Nobody seemed to even consider that Craig himself was 47 at the time—except for Craig.
In an interview with Red Bulletin, the interviewer questioned the actor on Bond “succumbing to the charms of an older woman.” Craig responded commendably and accurately, saying, “I think you mean the charms of a woman his own age. We’re talking about Monica Bellucci, for heaven’s sake. When someone like that wants to be a Bond girl, you just count yourself lucky!”
Even when it comes to the iconic character himself, Daniel Craig remains mindful of the implications that come with being James Bond. When asked in the same interview with Red Bulletin about Bond’s way with women, Craig responded, “But let’s not forget that he’s actually a misogynist. A lot of women are drawn to him because he embodies a certain kind of danger and never sticks around for too long.”
When the interviewer said that Bond has become more chivalrous in recent films, Craig replied, “That’s because we’ve surrounded him with very strong women who have no problem putting him in his place.”
Daniel Craig recognizes strong women and the fact that the hardships they face need attention, action, and a strong movement behind them. James Bond may be the film icon, but Daniel Craig is the noteworthy role model.
Featured Image by Sam Hawley on Flickr
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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