Her Majesty vs. His Suaveness

I loved Casino Royale, the latest profit-making installment in the James Bond film series, and I consider Daniel Craig to be an excellent choice to play Ian Fleming’s debonair but unstable spy. He definitely moves the character back to something closer to how Agent 007 appeared in the original novels.

And it seems I’m not the only one with these opinions. Top nominees for this year’s British Academy Film and Television Arts awards (aka the “Baftas,” the UK equivalent of America’s Oscars) are The Queen, which received 10 nominations and features Helen Mirren playing Queen Elizabeth II, and Casino Royale, which racked up nine nominations. As The Times of London reports:

Daniel Craig has confounded his critics and become the first actor to be nominated for a Bafta for playing James Bond in a list heavy with British talent.

The blond-haired actor, whose selection for the sought-after role was initially met with much scepticism, was today awarded for his efforts with a nomination for best actor in a leading role.

Information on the other nominations can be found here.

READ MORE: “Casino Royale Biggest Bond Ever,” by Nikki Finke (Deadline Hollywood Daily).