SEE VIDEO Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig sent death threats

Actors targeted because of controversial kids film The Golden Compass

Monday, 10 December 2007

The cast of The Golden Compass - which stars Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig - have received death threats from religious zealots.

The controversial new film has been criticised by Roman Catholic groups in North America who think it promotes atheist values.

They are calling for the movie - based on Philip Pullman’s book Northern Lights (also known as The Golden Compass) - to be boycotted.

And extremists have sent poisonous messages through the post.

‘The amount of hate mail has been unbelievable,’ says an insider.

‘There have been death threats. Most of the backlash has been aimed at Pullman but even the cast has had their fair share of abuse.’

And Daniel, 39 – who plays Lord Asriel in the movie – says he can’t understand why it’s being targeted.

‘I think the majority of people criticising it haven’t read it,’ he tells the Daily Star Sunday.

‘These books are not anti-religious. Mainly they’re anti-misuse of power – religious or political.’