BOND’S BOUNTY
The London Critics’ Circle will present Daniel Craig with its Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film at the org’s 45th annual ceremony, set for Feb. 2 at London’s May Fair Hotel.
“This is such an immense honor and I’m incredibly grateful to the London Film Critics’ Circle,” Craig said. Critics’ Circle Film Section chair Rich Cline noted Craig’s pre-Bond recognition from the group for “The Mother” (2003) and “Enduring Love” (2004), praising the actor’s “bold choices” throughout his career. Craig is currently nominated by the group for “Queer.”
The former 007 star, who headlined five James Bond films from “Casino Royale” (2006) through “No Time to Die” (2021), recently appeared in “Glass Onion” and will return as detective Benoit Blanc in the upcoming “Wake Up Dead Man.”
Previous Dilys Powell honorees include Jeffrey Wright, Michelle Yeoh, Pedro Almodovar and Kate Winslet. The ceremony will stream live on the Critics’ Circle YouTube channel.
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The Critics’ Circle Film Section comprises 210 U.K. critics. Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” and Sean Baker’s “Anora” lead this year’s nominations.
CASTING COUP
BBC’s comedy-drama “Boarders” has tapped Alan Cumming (“The Traitors U.S.”) and Natalie Cassidy (“EastEnders”) for guest appearances in its sophomore season, set to debut on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three in February. Cassidy steps into the role of Sharon Hail, a teacher at a rival school, while Cumming portrays Alan, a host whose exacting standards put the St. Gilbert’s students to the test.
The BAFTA-nominated series, created by Daniel Lawrence Taylor, follows five Black scholarship students navigating life at a prestigious British boarding school. Season two introduces BAFTA-winner Wunmi Mosaku (“Loki”) as Jaheim’s mother, Grace, alongside new cast members Cara Theobold (“Downton Abbey”) and Michael Salami (“Supacell”).
Studio Lambert produces the series for BBC in co-production with Tubi and ZDFneo. The first season is currently streaming on BBC iPlayer in the U.K. and Tubi across North America and Latin America.