Daniel Craig's Bold Break from Bond: The Venice Premiere of 'Queer'

Daniel Craig stars in 'Queer,' a film by Luca Guadagnino, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Playing a drug-addicted gay American in 1950s Mexico, Craig's role is a stark departure from his Bond persona. The film features intimate scenes and is based on William S. Burroughs' unfinished novel.

In a clear departure from his James Bond past, Daniel Craig premiered his latest role at the Venice Film Festival, portraying a drug-addicted gay American in Luca Guadagnino's new movie "Queer."

The dashing Bond character is replaced by a dishevelled man infatuated with a younger lover in 1950s Mexico. Despite featuring intimate scenes, Craig, 56, remains unfazed by potential headlines. "I don't think about it. No, I mean, what's the point? You know, I can't control it," he told Reuters.

Director Guadagnino, known for "Call Me by Your Name," hopes the public will see beyond the explicit scenes to Craig's raw, soulful performance. Craig, who starred in five Bond films, expressed his long-standing desire to work with the director, finally realized in this indie production shot in Rome.

Joined by his wife, actress Rachel Weisz, Craig introduced "Queer" to Venice. His role, William Lee, lives a lonely life in Mexico City, filled with hard liquor and fleeting encounters, until he grows fond of a quiet bisexual man, played by Drew Starkey. The pair took dance classes to enhance their on-screen chemistry.

The movie adapts William S. Burroughs' unfinished novel, completed by Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, as the characters journey into the jungle seeking a hallucinogenic drug. The project, long a dream for Guadagnino, came to fruition in just six months after he acquired the rights. Competing for the prestigious Golden Lion award, "Queer" is one of 21 contenders at the festival.

(With inputs from agencies.)