Daniel Craig has defended James Bond's new partnership with Dutch beer company Heineken (reportedly worth $45 million), calling it “an unfortunate” but necessary part of making a movie on the scale of "Skyfall."

Taking a break from the set where the 23rd Bond film is currently in production, the actor explained, "We have relationships with a number of companies so that we can make this movie. The simple fact is that, without them, we couldn’t do it. It’s unfortunate but that’s how it is. He added that "This movie costs a lot of money to make, it costs as nearly as much again if not more to promote, so we go where we can. The great thing is that Bond is a drinker, he always has been, it’s part of who he is, rightly or wrongly, you can make your own judgement about it, having a beer is no bad thing, in the movie it just happens to be Heineken.

Craig, who has been known to keep very quiet when journalists are about, was in laid-back, expansive form during the interview, going so far as to happily claim credit for recruiting Oscar winner Sam Mendes to direct "Skyfall."

“I didn’t realise you weren’t supposed to go up to people and just ask them. I was in a social situation with Sam, started chatting to him, and it just came to me in a flash. I said, ‘It’s not my place to do this but would you be interested?’ I got on the phone to (producers) Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson that night. So he came to see them, they really got on and it snowballed from there."

At this point, it appears Craig's instincts were right regarding Mendes, praising Sam for his thoroughness.

“It’s really been great for me because he takes a care of the lot of stuff that I would worry about normally on a film set."

Right now, Craig is looking as fit as you’d expect -- the understated ensemble of white shirt and grey lambswool jumper he wore during the discussion did little to disguise a surprisingly barrel-shaped chest. Yes, he may only be acting the role of a special agent, but you wouldn’t mess with him. And while Craig is the first to say he’s not doing this on his own –- “I’m standing with a whole bunch of incredibly talented, committed people, without them you don’t exist” –- it’s clear he takes his part seriously, as he outlined the routine that has been his daily lot since they started shooting:

“We’re here about seven in the morning, start work at eight, work until about 8:30 p.m., then I go to the gym for 40 minutes in the evening, and then I go home to bed.”

And how does Daniel Craig feel after all that?

"F----d."

"Skyfall" hits theaters November 9

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