Here's Why '007' Daniel Craig's Kids Won't Inherit His $160 Million Fortune

Daniel Craig is the latest actor to play the iconic role of James Bond, also known as Agent 007, in the long-running secret agent franchise. While he’s built a massive fortune from his movie career, the British actor has revealed that he has no plans to let his kids inherit his money.

Craig has a reported net worth of $160 million, but most of his fortune won’t go to his children as he called the practice of leaving large sums of money to the next generation “distasteful.”

“My philosophy is get rid of it or give it away before you go,” the 53-year-old actor explained in a recent interview with the U.K.'s Candis Magazine, adding, “Isn’t there an old adage that if you die a rich person, you’ve failed?”

The “No Time To Die” star noted that steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie gave away billions of dollars before his death in 1919, saying that “shows how rich he was because I’ll bet he kept some of it too.”

Craig shares 29-year-old daughter Ella with ex-wife Fiona Loudon, according to Page Six. He and his current wife, Rachel Weisz, welcomed their first child together, a daughter, in 2018.

A huge chunk of Craig’s fortune came from his stint as James Bond. He first played the MI6 agent in the franchise’s 21st film, “Casino Royale,” in 2006. The movie raked in $600 million at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing Bond film in history at the time.

But 2012’s “Skyfall” topped its record when it made $951 million, putting Craig on the list of the top-grossing actors that year, according to Forbes. The film went on to make $1.1 billion worldwide by the time it completed its theatrical run.

The actor has received hefty paychecks for each of his Bond films. He is believed to have earned $3.2 million for “Casino Royale” and $7.2 million for “Quantum of Solace,” according to Celebrity Net Worth. For “Skyfall,” Craig is said to have received $17 million as a base salary and $3 million in bonuses, while he is estimated to have been paid $30 million in total to star in “Spectre.”

Craig’s base salary for the upcoming film “No Time To Die” is said to be $25 million, the outlet reported. His total income for playing the secret agent so far comes to about $85.4 million.

“No Time To Die,” which hits theaters in October, will mark his final appearance as James Bond, with the actor previously stating that he has no plans to do another 007 film.

Apart from his Bond films, Craig has also appeared in a number of other movies over the years, including 2007's “Golden Compass,” 2011's “Cowboys and Aliens” with Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde, 2017's “Kings” with Halle Berry and the 2019 mystery film “Knives Out.”

Craig continued to perform in theater productions as well amid his success in the movie industry. He shared the stage with Hugh Jackman in a production of the drama “A Steady Rain” on Broadway that was shown from September to December 2009.