Daniel Craig has officially entered the Oscar race with his new film “Queer,” which premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival on Tuesday. The James Bond actor, 56, received a nine-minute standing ovation for the film, directed by Luca Guadagnino, known for “Call Me By Your Name.” Set in Mexico City, Craig portrays William Lee, an American expatriate.
The film’s synopsis describes how Lee’s encounter with Eugene Allerton, played by Drew Starkey, introduces him to the possibility of forming an intimate connection for the first time. Based on the novel by William S. Burroughs, “Queer” features scenes that IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio notes are “the most explicit gay sex scenes” in any mainstream film, with Vulture’s Nate Jones highlighting that they surpass those in “Brokeback Mountain” and “Call Me by Your Name.”
During a press conference in Venice, Craig reflected on the experience of filming the explicit scenes, acknowledging the challenge of maintaining intimacy in front of a crew. “There’s nothing intimate about filming a sex scene on a movie set. There’s a room full of people watching you,” he said. He emphasized the aim to make the scenes as genuine and natural as possible, adding that Starkey was a great co-star to work with, making the process enjoyable.
Starkey chimed in, sharing that the two actors felt free to explore new elements during filming. “When you’re rolling around on the floor with someone on the second day of knowing each other, I think that’s a good way to get to know someone,” he joked.
Guadagnino expressed his emotional connection to the characters and the romantic adventures they embark on. “Queer” marks the director’s second film this year, following the tennis drama “Challengers.”
Craig is generating Oscar buzz for his performance, with many forecasting a Best Actor nomination for the 2025 Academy Awards. Having bid farewell to the James Bond franchise in 2021’s “No Time to Die,” “Queer” marks his first film role outside the Bond and “Knives Out” series since 2018.
During the press conference, when a journalist posed a question about the possibility of a gay James Bond, the room erupted in laughter, prompting Guadagnino to suggest a more mature discussion. Craig, however, focused on his reasons for taking on the role in “Queer,” saying he was drawn to work with Guadagnino and would want to be part of the film even if he weren’t acting in it.