Daniel Craig confronts Stephen Colbert over name mispronunciation
- Daniel Craig made an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote his film Queer.
- Craig highlighted Colbert's repeated mispronunciation of his name during past appearances, noting it had happened six times.
- The lighthearted interaction emphasized the difference between the US and UK pronunciations and ended with Craig thanking Colbert for correcting himself.
On December 2, 2024, in the United States, Daniel Craig appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to promote his new film, Queer. During the episode, Craig called attention to his ongoing issue with Colbert mispronouncing his last name. The actor highlighted that he had been referred to as 'Creg', similar to the sound in 'egg', rather than the correct pronunciation, 'Craig' which includes a diphthong. Craig stated that this mispronunciation had occurred during his previous six appearances on the show, warranting a humorous yet pointed correction. As the segment unfolded, Craig lightheartedly reprimanded Colbert about this linguistic mistake, prompting the audience to react with laughter. When Colbert attempted to pronounce 'Craig' correctly, Craig praised the effort, saying, 'Now you’re doing it right.’ Throughout the conversation, Craig emphasized the importance of the correct pronunciation and reiterated that the diphthong mattered, contrasting it to how he would not mispronounce Colbert’s last name. Colbert's realization of his repeated mistake led to a comedic exchange where he expressed a desire not to anger Craig and even joked about the fictional character 'Daniel Creg', suggesting he would prefer that name be separated from the actual actor. Colbert's friendly banter and Craig's jovial acknowledgment of the misunderstanding highlighted a playful atmosphere during the interview, reinforcing the bond between the two personalities despite the earlier faux pas. While discussing his film endeavors, Craig also reflected on his time portraying James Bond, sharing insights on the challenges he faced during the filming of Quantum of Solace. He humorously characterized the production process of that film as a 'f***ing nightmare', detailing how a lack of a solid script significantly impacted the project. Craig mentioned having to pen many lines himself, underlining the difficulties associated with starting a movie without a script. The interview served not only to clarify the mispronunciation of Craig’s name but also to promote his latest project and provide retrospective thoughts on his notable acting career.