A lot of women cannot help but swoon over the dashing secret agent 007, but according to Daniel Craig, the actor who portrays James Bond, the character's appeal is all hype.
"Bond can be a gentleman. Sometimes, anyway. He's a considerate person, he takes care of business, and he looks out for other people and his family. He's someone who opens doors for people - for everyone, that is, not just women," Craig told The Red Bulletin.
"But let's not forget that he's actually a misogynist," he added. "A lot of women are drawn to him chiefly because he embodies a certain kind of danger and never sticks around for too long."
On the other hand, the "very strong women" that Bond surrounds himself with "have no problem putting him in his place," and this is why Craig has such a huge respect for them.
One such woman is Monica Bellucci's character Lucia Sciarra. Craig considers the "James Bond: Spectre" film as extremely "lucky" since the actress agreed to take part in it.
When asked if he considers Bond as a good role model, Craig was a bit evasive. "My own role models are people who have a moral compass. People who have the courage of their convictions: great journalists, writers, artists..." he replied without really answering the question.
The actor also clarified that there is a world of difference between role models and heroes.
"Don't confuse role models with heroes," he stressed. "My heroes are very personal to me. Both my grandfathers fought in the Second World War - one was in Germany, the other with the Royal Air Force in Siberia."
Craig was also asked if he would still consider doing another Bond film in the future, given his earlier statement that he would rather "slash his wrists" than star in another one.
"It's always the same question: Which is worse - leaving the party too early, or staying, getting totally drunk and then passing out on the floor?" he said.
The actor admitted that he honestly does not know whether he is up to do another one, since all he wants to do now is take a break from work.
"What I need right now is to stop working, relax and get back to normal life. There's nothing unusual about that. It's really horrible not seeing your family for weeks at a time. There's one thing I actually find more exciting than Bond at the moment: going home," he said.
