We don’t know much about the latest James Bond film aside from the return of Daniel Craig and the addition of director Danny Boyle, but we do know that Bond recently got a chance to see how the real spies apparently live. The Central Intelligence Agency recently introduced a “Reel Vs. Real” initiative as a way to demystify what they do as “spies” and how Hollywood can sometimes romanticize the job. Craig’s arrival at CIA Headquarters is the latest part of that, offering him a glimpse at what a real intelligence officer does.
As the CIA describes on their blog, they’re trying to fight “misrepresentations” of their work on the big screen:
While secrets must be kept and the clandestine nature of the CIA’s work held sacred, the CIA works, where appropriate, with the film industry to combat misrepresentations and assist in balanced and accurate portrayals. Visits such as this and the recent Reel vs. Real event at UCLA open the door to engaging with the public to humanize the workforce and demonstrate the many ways CIA’s work enhances national security.
Mr. Craig met with our leadership and workforce,who explained that real life espionage is a lot more “cloak” and a lot less “dagger” than presented in the entertainment world of spy vs. spy. During conversations with CIA subject matter experts, Mr. Craig learned about the many facets of intelligence collection and how our five directorates work together to advance CIA’s mission. Later, during an engagement with the Agency workforce, Mr. Craig remarked about the teamwork that goes into the intelligence cycle and how impressed he was with the commitment and dedication of CIA officers.
Back in May, the CIA hosted a “Reel Vs. Real” panel with former CIA officers and the cast of The Americans to provide the same insight, but Craig’s visit could always carry that extra weight of giving a glimpse at the next James Bond. Maybe he’s going to take a job as an analyst and put his wild life behind him. If Bond 25 turns out to be an office drama, would audiences still go?
