Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes CBE (born 1 August 1965) is an English film and stage director, producer and screenwriter. In theatre, he is known for his dark re-inventions of the stage musicals Cabaret (1994), Oliver! (1994), Company (1995), and Gypsy (2003). He directed an original West End stage musical for the first time with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2013).
For directing the play The Ferryman, Mendes was awarded the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 2019.
Javier Bardem Celebrated Daniel Craig’s Birthday by Dressing as a Bond Girl and Popping Out of a Cake
variety.comZack Sharf Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem became close friends during the making of Sam Mendes’ 2012 James Bond tentpole “Skyfall,” so much so that Bardem once serenaded Craig for his birthday in Marilyn Monroe fashion.
True to the spirit of their friendship, Bardem did so while dressed in drag as a Bond girl. The performers revealed as much while reuniting for Variety‘s Actors on Actors, presented by Amazon Studios.
Craig and Bardem’s birthdays are a day apart in March, so they decided to throw a joint birthday party together.“I remember you were in drag, but I know that’s a whole other story,” Craig said“Coming out of a cake,” Bardem added. “I was supposed to be the Bond girl that night, and oh, my God, I was.” Bardem’s Oscar-contending role in Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” required the actor to sing on screen in scenes in which Desi Arnaz is playing the drums and singing while fronting the Desi Arnaz Orchestra.
Craig told Bardem he had “no idea” that his former Bond villain had such musical chops. Bardem admitted he had not had much musical experience before the role, other than that joint birthday bash.“Well, [I’m not musical], apart from coming out of birthday cakes dressed like a Bond girl,” Bardem told Craig. “I sang ‘Happy Birthday to You’ in my best Marilyn Monroe impersonation.
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