James Bond actor Daniel Craig today urged European governments to "step forward and sort out" the migrant crisis tormenting the continent.
"There is a human tragedy going on. It is up to European governments to step forward and get this sorted," the British actor told AFP.
The fictional spy flits back and forth across borders in the blink of an eye in the latest Bond film Spectre despite being grounded by British intelligence and having his passport removed.
But in reality entering Britain illegally has become ever more difficult, with thousands of migrants marooned in the French port of Calais resorting to desperate measures to cross the English Channel.
Some have tried to climb onto or underneath high-speed Eurostar trains and two Iranians managed to walk the 50-kilometre length of the tunnel earlier this month before being arrested by British police. At least 15 have died trying to reach England since June.
"Some fictional spy is not going to fix this," Craig said as he called on governments to act. "People are not thinking about James Bond as they struggle with their families across the Mediterranean, it is the furthest thing from their minds."
Craig has also become the face of a drive by tourist chiefs to attract more visitors to Britain.
An international billboard campaign proclaiming "Bond is Great Britain" is being rolled out to coincide with the release of the film, the 24th in the spy caper series that began six years before Craig, 47, was born.
