But his real claims to stardom have only popped up in the last couple of years, with some very ambitious projects.
In the biopic Sylvia, Daniel played the poet Ted Hughes with wonderful delicacy, perfectly complementing Gwyneth Paltrow in the title role.
Plaudits were heaped on Craig after his work in Enduring Love, a fine adaptation of the Ian McEwan novel where Craig masterfully essayed the difficult role of Joe.
And then came Layer Cake (left), the Matthew Vaughn smash British hit. One of those cult ensemble comedies in the Guy Ritchie genre, it made leading man Craig, playing the bizarre character XXXX, a household name across Britain.