Actor Daniel Craig starred in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie before rocketing to fame in 2006, as the newest, hardest and - some say - sexiest James Bond yet. After the success of Casino Royale, he's now back in the follow-up, Quantum Of Solace. The son of a Merseyside pub landlord, 40-year-old Craig lives in London with his filmproducer girlfriend, Satsuki Mitchell. He has a 17-year-old daughter, Ella, from his marriage to actress Fiona Loudon.

- _Sorry to see you have your arm in a sling. What happened?

- I tore my shoulder when we were making Casino Royale and it started to ache during Quantum Of Solace. I went to see a surgeon and had reconstructive surgery - I had six pins put in. So now I can't really move my arm and it's a little painful, but I'm having physio every day, and it's healing well.

- The Bond films are something of a danger zone aren't they?

- Oh, this one wasn't too bad - a few cuts and bruises, but if you're not sore and bruised after a day on the Bond set, you haven't done it properly. I had to have a few stitches, but I make sure I'm physically as fit as possible before filming begins, otherwise I get injured.

- How do you get fit?

- I go to the gym five days a week for 40 minutes at a time. I hate it, but I have to do it because, apart from anything, James Bond has to look physically imposing. I was big for Casino - that wasn't a mistake, it was a definite statement. This guy, when he takes his shirt off, should look like he could kill someone.

-What is the best perk about being Bond?

- Oh, there are many. One of them is that I am able to wear very nice clothes off-screen. I've always liked good tailoring, although, until now, I've never been able to afford it. But these days, I get given very nice suits to wear that are beautifully made just for me, and it would be a tragedy to leave them in the wardrobe.

- What about the cars?

- That's definitely another perk. I'm lucky enough that Aston Martin let me drive their cars before we start shooting so I can practise. I take them out to test tracks, where I spin them around and do all sorts of things that are wonderful fun. Whether it's actually improved my own driving, I can't say, but I can drive really well in a straight line, and sometimes I'm good at going around corners, too!

- Is it true that Sean Connery gave you his blessing as the latest Bond?

- Yes, although I haven't spoken to him personally. But apparently, he said that he liked Casino Royale, and I couldn't be happier with that. He was the Bond who defined the role, after all. He was bad, sexy, animalistic and stylish, and it's because of him that I'm sitting here today.

-How do you cope with the downside of being so famous?

- People always seem to be staring at me, and that does get me down. I used to be able to enjoy a couple of pints in a pub in complete anonymity, but not any more. So what do I do? I have learnt to drink faster and duck out before I'm surrounded by a mob. You need good people around you to survive - it's absolutely essential. You need to keep people you care about close to you. If you let them disappear from your life, you're in trouble.

- Do you feel any pressure to outdo Connery's reputation as the sexiest Bond?

- There was less sex in Quantum Of Solace than in most Bond films because Bond has just had his heart broken in this one, and to jump into bed with ten women straight after that just didn't seem to make sense. But give me time and I'll catch up with Sean Connery.

- Does your girlfriend Satsuki help you keep your feet on the ground?

- I couldn't get through it without her. You've got to have a sense of perspective and she gives me that. Being an actor does put a strain on a relationship because I'm never in one place, and there's never seems to be a lot of time. I have to fight for that, and for my family. I need that balance; it's crucially important. And we've been to some amazing places. I remember one night when we were in China. We were in this sky bar, at the top of a beautiful hotel, having a drink looking out over Beijing, and we were just blown away. You have to have someone to share this stuff with. In Italy, we even had a private viewing of the Sistine Chapel. A fantastic guy took us around and explained the history of all the paintings. How cool is that? I said to Sats, 'We have to remember this.'

-Do you think you'll propose?

- It's a very important time in your life. I won't be making an official announcement because I am not a member of the Royal Family.

-You're very private, aren't you?

- I don't think I'm private - I think I'm a pretty open book. What are you laughing at? I am! Look, I'll talk about my own opinions, and I'll talk about my work, but I don't talk about my close friends and family, because I want to keep that stuff separate. My friends are incredibly important to me, and I would kill for my family - as I'm sure you would for yours. But this is not their world, and they have to be kept separated. I can't take the risk of opening that door.

- Are you a good poker player?

- I wouldn't admit to it if I were.

- What do you do when you're not working?

- Relax! After I finished filming Quantum, I went to Italy for two weeks, I rested, and drank, and ate pasta, and read books, and caught up on movies, and just did all those things I hadn't been able to do for six months because I'd been working so hard. It was glorious.

- What have you learnt about women?

- To respect them. And that they're always right.

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