Queen is good actor, says director Danny Boyle

Danny Boyle, the mastermind behind the much-praised opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games yesterday praised the acting skills of Queen Elizabeth II in her cameo performance with James Bond.“She is a good actor, she is good at it,” Boyle told NBC. “Very helpful and very sharp. You don’t have to tell her anything twice. She picks up straight away, about cameras and angles,” said the film director.The monarch, 86 had got on “very well” with James Bond actor Daniel Craig during the shooting sequence at Buckingham Palace earlier this year, “and was very gracious in giving us access really”.Meanwhile the queen, just hours after her first-ever film appearance, was on her feet again visiting athletes and bathing in the praise of her new-found “Bond Girl” role.As she visited the Olympic Park Saturday, with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, the queen chatted to Team GB athletes and inspected the Olympic village.“It was brilliant. For her to come through and meet the athletes, and see where we’re living, it was amazing,” said Team GB basketball player Rose Anderson.“It was just awesome, especially after last night. Last night will never be topped,” added Anderson.The royal couple visited the viewing platform of the giant Arcelor Mittal tower, designed by Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor, and dropped in on the swimming and athletic competitions.On a tour of the Olympic village’s dining halls they stopped to speak to athletes from other nations, among them Jess Fox who represents Australia in the canoe slalom.“She’s beautiful. We saw her from afar last night in the stadium but it was amazing to see her like this. We were all really excited,” said Fox.