Bond girl Caterina Murino talks travel, childhood and `Casino Royale`

Beautiful Italian actress Caterina Murino, who co-starred in the 2006 James Bond flick Casino Royale, was in Jamaica on the weekend for the Heineken VIP party, which was held at James Bond beach, Oracabessa, St Mary - reports The Jamaican Gleaner.

The actress, who was scheduled to leave the island yesterday, was in Jamaica in 2006 for the premiere of Casino Royale. This time around, her visit was for the VIP party that climaxed the 'Heineken Enter The World of Bond' campaign for the latest James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

Murino was excited to be in Jamaica.

"I am very happy 'cause I love your country," she told The Gleaner.

Murino compared her childhood in Sardinia, Italy to that of a Jamaican.

"It was a little bit wild and my childhood was completely different from growing up in the city. It was beautiful like Jamaica and I felt very close to nature and for that I feel that my life was completely different," said Murino, who is fluent in English, French, Italian and Spanish.

The actress, who has played roles in many movies, said her first career was not acting. During her early years she modelled across Europe, appearing in commercials for Nescafe, Swatch, Mastercard and Mercedes Benz.

However, she was not satisfied with being just a model.

"It was not my dream, it was not my life," she said of modelling. "The money you earned modelling is very easy but you feel a little empty because you feel that it is for your beauty, your plastic but not what you have inside. And for this reason, I found that I needed to experience more and I found that in theatre."

Film appearances

Since 2002, Murino has appeared in a number of films. Among them are Nowhere (2002), Enquéte Corse, L (2004), Non pensarci (2007), and this year she has been in Made In Italy, Grand Alibi and The Garden of Eden.

She said she was lucky to get the roles of very strong women through which she can fully express herself. Casino Royale was no different.

She said she enjoyed working in Casino Royale because it was "the first movie that changed the image of (James) Bond. It was a completely different Bond."

Murino said she enjoyed working with her co-star Daniel Craig because he had the ability to express all the emotions that the film required.

"He was a professional actor and very determined in what he is doing. He did a brilliant job and this has made him one of the best actors in the world now," Murino told The Gleaner.

Though she loved the movie, Murino said she does not plan to become another Bond girl.

"I am done. I think I will give the chance to another girl," she said.

Nonetheless, Murino plans to step back into her theatre roots next year in a play called Dona Flor and Two Husbands.

She will also appear in another movie called Thirteen, which will be released in the United States next year.

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