Ben Whishaw: "I cut Daniel Craig's nose with my helmet"

Ben Whishaw has given an interview to MrPorter.com.about his debut as Q in Bond movie 'Skyfall'. He admits he's still getting used to being a part of such a big franchise. "That whole Bond experience pretty much blew my mind - if only for my realisation of the insatiable global appetite for James Bond. His legacy will go on far longer than any of ours."

He reveals he first met Bond star Daniel Craig aged 17 when he had a small role in William Boyd's film 'The Trench'. "In my first scene I had to dash down a trench and turn a corner and then bump into Daniel. We were wearing those really sharp, round World War I helmets and he said to me, 'Be careful', pointing to the helmet. 'It's very sharp.' So I dashed down the trench, turned the corner and went crashing straight into Daniel. I cut the bridge of his nose. It was literally my first take on my first movie."

Whishaw had to keep his casting as Q secret for a year - but reveals his own late grandfather had a German father and Russian mother and spied for Britain during World War II.

He  didn't get the chance to meet Dame Judi Dench, aka M, until the film's world premiere in London last October. "We actually never met on set for Bond, Judi and I. I think it was at the premiere that we first managed to say hello to one another properly."

He hints his role as Q will grow in the next film, to be penned by John Logan.

In February, he stars in the Wachowski's epic adaptation of 'Cloud Atlas' - "I still don't know whether I understand all of it," he admits.

In the film he plays a cabin boy, a tribesman and the 56-year-old wife of Hugh Grant. "He did give me a little bit of of a squeeze when we were in bed together, which was slightly terrifying," said Whishaw.