Daniel Craig set fans abuzz when he disclosed to Stephen Colbert that he kissed all the leading men in his movies.

While he played the ultra-masculine role of James Bond, the Skyfall actor did not shy away from exploring themes of sexuality with his diverse roles from time to time. He played Joe Pitt in Angels in America, a Pulitzer-winning theatrical play that explored homosexuality and AIDS.

Daniel Craig
Recently, Craig appeared in the Lunch With Bruce podcast, hosted by his longtime friend Bruce Bozzi. Interestingly, both of them were photographed by the paparazzi outside a gay bar back in 2010, which sparked controversy especially due to his relationship with actress Rachel Weisz.

Also Read: “That let us get away with him being as sexist as he is”: Daniel Craig Used a Genius Loophole to Keep James Bond’s Authenticity After Matt Damon’s Insult

Bruce Bozzi and Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig touched upon the 2010 gay controversy during his appearance on Lunch With Bruce. Craig explained that he had frequented gay bars for years, not due to his sexual orientation, but because he wanted to avoid the competitive masculine space that the straight bars had become. Craig clarified that the gay bars were safe places where he didn’t get into any fights. Further, he also added that he could meet girls at these gay bars when he was single. Craig shared on Lunch With Bruce:

“One of the reasons: because I don’t get into fights in gay bars that often. [Gay bars] would just be a good place to go. Everybody was chill, everybody. You didn’t really have to sort of state your sexuality. It was OK. And it was a very safe place to be. And I could meet girls there, cos there are a lot of girls there for exactly the same reason I was there. It was kind of an ulterior motive.”

The Casino Royale actor went into the specifics of the particular incident that had triggered gay allegations against him. Craig visited a gay bar in Venice Beach, California, along with the podcast host Bruce Bozzi in 2010. The two engaged in a friendly hug outside the bar, which was then captured by some media. Craig was furious with the media’s speculations and the twisting of facts. The Logan Lucky actor shared on the podcast:

“For me, it was one of those situations and the irony is, you know, we kind of got caught, I suppose, which was kind of weird because we were doing nothing f—king wrong. What happened is we were having a nice night and I kind of was talking to you about my life when my life was changing and we got drunk and I was like, ‘Oh, let’s just go to a bar, come on, let’s f—king go out.’”

Notably, Craig was in a loving relationship with his then-girlfriend and now-wife, Rachel Weisz. The two actors got married in a private ceremony in June 2011, shortly after the rumors surfaced.

Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion
Coming from an actor known for playing one of the most masculine (and sometimes sexist) characters of all time, Daniel Craig’s openness was well-received by the LGBTQ+ community. However, there was some criticism of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo actor’s comments about using gay bars to meet potential female partners. Nonetheless, Craig’s non-judgmental take on sexuality deserves appreciation.

More recently, the Cowboys & Aliens actor’s character in the Knives Out franchise, Benoit Blanc, was revealed to be gay in the film Glass Onion. Hugh Grant played the role of Phillip, Blanc’s domestic partner in the film. The revelation stood out for its natural integration into the storyline, highlighting the evolving acceptance of sexual orientations without sensationalizing it.