Monday 13 August 2012

Olympic Opening Ceremony: The James Bond and Queen Cameo

Olympic Opening Ceremony

Ask an avid Olympic spectator what their favourite part of the Olympic opening ceremony was and it is likely that they will answer, ‘James Bond and the Queen of course’. During the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony last Friday, the world stood delighted as Daniel Craig as the James Bond character chaperoned Queen Elizabeth II from her home in Buckingham Palace to the Olympic Park. James Bond looked dashing as usual in his classic tuxedo as he jumped out of the helicopter, and the Queen, or to be correct her body double looked as composed as ever in her usual attire despite the circumstances. This article relives the Daniel Craig and Queen Elizabeth Olympic opening ceremony stunt and provides insight on the behind the scenes action.

Danny Boyle: Olympic Opening Ceremony Director

The Olympic Games opening ceremony was directed by world renowned director Danny Boyle, who is also known for his directorship in Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting. His on screen skills became apparent in the James Bond and Queen Olympic Games stunt; clever trickery was used to seamlessly tie together the pre-recorded scenes in Buckingham Palace (which also featured her beloved corgis), the helicopter ride and the live jump, expertly executed by two professional stunt artists.

The Cameo

The James Bond Olympic ceremony opening was as close to realism as possible. According to sources Danny Boyle and his film crew were given unprecedented access to the Queen’s residence and even private rooms in Buckingham Palace were shown, which really highlighted the nation’s commitment to making the London Olympic opening ceremony one to remember. Audiences around the world were stunned when the Queen and not an actress as some may have expected, turned coolly around and stated, “Good evening, Mr. Bond”. Her Olympic opening ceremony cameo unofficially made her the latest Bond girl. Daniel Craig played true to his James Bond character and looked very series when informed of his next mission, to escort the Queen and to open the Olympiad.

The Body Doubles

The stunt doubles who parachuted out of the helicopter during the Olympic opening ceremony also have fame behind their names. The body double of the Queen in the Olympic opening ceremony was Gary Connery, a daredevil who recently made headlines when he become the first person in history to land a skydiving jump without a parachute. He was not completely unaided, and landed with the help of a wingsuit and a massive pile of cardboard boxed. James Bond’s body double in the Olympic opening ceremony was skydiver Mark Sutton. The pair jumped out of a helicopter and quite appropriately, landed using Union Jack parachutes. According to the film crew, the Queen acted well, is very sharp and got along with James Bond well.
Penny Munroe is an avid writer in current British entertainment news. From highlighting the latest Scruffs boots campaigns to featuring Olympic    news stories, she is a proud ambassador of her country's contemporary culture.

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