On her vision of Bond

© Columbia

Eva, tell us about your vision of Casino Royale.

I think that in terms of plot and the romanctic element of the film, it really goes beyond the traditional Bond film. Of course it’s still an action film and a thriller, but it’s also a love story, and I think that many women will really identify with my character, Vesper, and will be moved by the way she faces up to her challenges.

Compared to the other films, the action scenes in Casino Royale are more realistic. But the film really hangs on the actors themselves. The new James Bond is brutal, yet sensitive: we’re allowed to see his weaknesses but he’s still the same Bond we know and love.

Is playing a Bond girl a dream role or a clichéd part?

It’s an honour more than anything else, but it’s also a real challenge. I was never going to reduce the Bond girl role to that of some pretty girl in a bikini: there's so much more to it than that.