MI6 talked to Kai Martin, one of the stuntmen on Casino Royale who doubled for Daniel Craig as James Bond when the action ramped up...

Doubling For James Bond - Kai Martin Interview
11th November 2006

With just over a week of filming left before Casino Royale wrapped principal photography, MI6 visited the filming on location at Dunsfold Aerodrome, UK, and caught up with Kai Martin to talk about his work as Bond's stunt double in the movie.

How many of you are there doubling for Bond in Casino Royale?
There are three - Adam Curley, Ben Cook and myself. We all share the duties of doubling for Bond.

How does it feel to be James Bond’s double?
It has its moments, for all of us. It’s something we’ve always wanted to do. And it terms of stunts, it’s something we’ve always wanted to do.

Can you describe for us the stunt you have just performed?
It’s in the airport sequence, when Bond and the bad-guy are having the fight on a tanker. Bond has been kicked out of the door, and looses the door and his head is probably six inches from the ‘floor’. That’s just what we did.

Where there many risks?
Not really, no. You’ve done all the safety checks - you know what you’re doing. There’s plenty of boys around you to look after you, so, it’s fine.

How long have you been a stunt man?
I started in 2002, so four years.

 
Above: In a crucial scene, Bond attempts to prevent Carlos carrying out a terrorist attack

How did you get into it - what makes you like the feeling of danger?
I don’t really know. Why does anyone want to do what they want to do? It’s really been one of my ambitions since I was young and so I just followed it up.

You don’t look much like Daniel Craig, does that matter too much?
No. It’s based on body shape, not so much facial expression. If you are a good facial double than that’s great, and it helps, but everything goes so quickly, you don’t often see the double.


Above: 170 feet up in the air, Bond tackles Mollaka (Sebastien Foucan) head on

Can you tell us about any of the other major sequences you have been involved with?
There’s a great scene, shot in the Bahamas, where Bond is chasing the bad guy, who’s a bomber, through a construction site. We use everything around us - from running up cranes to jumping on girders. We have a fight, 140 feet up, where Bond is thrown of and jumps from crane to crane. There’s a lot of action in the film and we’ve all done our fare bit.

What was your most frightening experience as a stuntman?
There’s been a few moments - but not that I can recall right now. You tend to forget about it and move on. The only way is forward!

Are you a Bond fan yourself?
I suppose I should say yes. But not really, I mean, I’ve seen all the films and everything, but I wouldn’t say I was a Bond geek - I don’t own any memorabilia!

How well do you get on with Daniel Craig - being his stunt double?
We work quite closely Daniel, especially on the main unit. The double over there, Ben, is responsible for finished what might have been started or talking Daniel through a stunt. You’ve got to make sure he doesn’t get hurt. So yes, you have to work quite closely.


Above: Daniel Craig gets the sole credit for playing James Bond, but three stunt doubles performed action as 007 in Casino Royale

Is he quite easy going?
Daniel’s a lovely guy. Very down to earth, very humble, but he’s going to be a great Bond - defiantly.

What kind of tips do you provide him with for doing his own stunts?
Just whatever the action may be - you’d give advice specific to the stunt at hand. It’s too difficult to say as every bit of action is different.

Is he really up to performing many of his own stunts?
Yes. That’s for sure. He’s up for everything - fights - everything. He’s full on.

Is he going to make a good Bond?
A great Bond!

Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli (Eon Productions) and directed by Martin Campbell, CASINO ROYALE is scheduled for release on November 16, 2006 in the UK. Principal photography started on January 30th 2006, with locations in the UK, Czech Republic (Prague), Italy, and the Bahamas. It will be British actor Daniel Craig’s first outing as James Bond. He is the sixth actor to play the 007 role in the franchise.

The film also stars Judi Dench, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino, Simon Abkarian, Tobias Menzies, Ivana Milicevic, Clemens Schik, Ludger Pistor, Claudio Santamaria and Isaach de Bankole.

Related Articles
Casino Royale Coverage
Martin Campbell On Directing 007
Daniel Craig Press Conference
Official: James Bond 007 #6 is Daniel Craig

Thanks to Sophie Davison