Whether it’s through a 2024 movie like Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, or an upcoming 2025 movie like Wake Up, Dead Man: a Knives Out Mystery, Daniel Craig is a name people hear quite often. But apparently we’ve all been pronouncing the former James Bond actor’s name wrong for some time, and no one was the wiser. Thanks to a new late night clip that’s gone viral however, I don’t think we’ll be forgetting how to say the actor’s surname any time soon.
That’s exactly where the problem lies too, as our pronunciation of “Daniel” has been just fine. That being said, with the James Bond movie star making yet another appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Mr. Craig took the time to address the matter as follows:
I have a bone to pick with you [after] six shows. ... It's a dipthong. I don't say 'Col-bette.'
The obvious joke aside, I would have never imagined that the “Craig” in Daniel Craig was pronounced in that specific manner. And yes, in reviewing my footage for our No Time to Die interviews from 2021, I admit I fell into that very trap. Should I ever get the chance to speak with the man again, I’ll now be extra sure to enter the conversation correctly.
Which leads me to something else I noted about this interview. I’d like to think that similar to how any member of SNL’s Five-Timers Club could tell you that repeated guest spots makes for comfortable familiarity, being a fixture on Mr. Colbert’s show probably grants a similar feeling. Let’s not forget, this was the venue where Daniel Craig confirmed his Bond 25 return in 2017.
You can see another example of that comfort in how Daniel Craig even starts to mention the prospect in his interview. Further engaging the further questions that Stephen Colbert offers to keep the difference straight, it's all good natured correction, as opposed to an actual blood feud. With that in mind, take a look at the clip from The Late Show shown below:
I’m sure plenty of people will be bookmarking or saving this video for future reminders on this very subject. So I wouldn’t expect the viral nature of Daniel Craig’s elocution lesson with Stephen Colbert to die down any time soon. Which is good, considering the actor’s latest film Queer is currently in limited release, with a nationwide release slated for December 13th.
As for Wake Up, Dead Man: a Knives Out Mystery, that will presumably be available for streaming with a Netflix subscription later in 2025. Unless Daniel Craig’s comments on theatrical distribution have fallen upon the right ears to make the three-quel a truly cinematic event; and I really hope they have.