Bond Girls Then and Now Continued…
The Enigmatic Bond Girl: Maryam d’Abo
Maryam d’Abo brought a fresh, enigmatic presence to the Bond series as Kara Milovy in The Living Daylights (1987). Her portrayal was a departure from the traditional Bond girl, offering a character who was an intelligent and resourceful partner to James Bond. Kara’s blend of vulnerability and inner strength provided the perfect counterpoint to the cold efficiency of Bond’s world, marking a subtle evolution in how female characters would be depicted going forward.
Before her Bond debut, Maryam d’Abo had already made a name for herself in European cinema, where her performances hinted at the depth and versatility that would later define her career. After The Living Daylights, she continued to challenge herself with roles across film, television, and theater.
Today, Maryam’s contribution to the Bond legacy is celebrated not only for redefining the archetype of the Bond girl but also for inspiring a more empowered and layered portrayal of women in action cinema. Her enduring influence stands as a testament to her talent and the gradual shift towards greater character depth for women within the Bond series.
The Digital Bond Girl: Izabella Scorupco
Few Bond girls have managed to redefine modernity with the effortless blend of charm and intellect like Izabella Scorupco, whose portrayal of Natalya Simonova in GoldenEye (1995) broke new ground for the franchise. In a role demanding both a commanding presence and technical savvy, Scorupco transformed the conventional Bond girl into a cardigan wearing geek.
Before her breakout in GoldenEye, Scorupco was steadily carving a niche in European cinema, her Scandinavian roots adding a cool, enigmatic edge to roles that required both beauty and brains. Yet it was in GoldenEye that she captured the public’s imagination.
In the wake of her iconic performance, Scorupco chose the path less trodden, favouring eclectic European projects over the relentless glare of Hollywood. Today, a regular on social media, she regularly discusses her time as Bond girl, a genuinely proud achievement for her.
The Unconventional Bond Girl: Denise Richards
In her portrayal of Dr. Christmas Jones in The World is Not Enough (1999), Denise Richards brought fame and a refreshing twist to the franchise. As a nuclear physicist with both brains and beauty, her character offered a rare mix of intellect, wit, and sensuality that made her role uniquely memorable.
Richards’ performance was a statement on the evolving nature of female characters in the Bond franchise. By imbuing Dr. Christmas Jones with a sense of humour and self-assurance, she redefined the archetype, paving the way for a more contemporary interpretation of female agency alongside Bond’s bravado.
Before her Bond debut, Richards had catapulted to fame captivating audiences with roles in films like Wild Things. Following her impactful Bond stint, she continued to reinvent herself in Hollywood, overcoming personal and professional challenges with resilient charm.
Today, her performance remains a subject of debate and admiration. At the time, she was regularly voted among the most beautiful women in the world, a level of fame some didn’t like, but her unconventional take on the Bond girl continues to resonate with fans and inspire those discussions.
The Trailblazing Bond Girl: Halle Berry
Not many Bond girls have left an indelible mark on the franchise quite like Halle Berry. In her role as Jinx Johnson in Die Another Day (2002), Berry shattered expectations by infusing the character with a blend of athletic prowess, seductive allure, and of course being brave enough to reimagine one of the most iconic moments in Bond cinema history—emerging from the sea just like Honey Ryder did 40 years previously.
Before joining the Bond legacy, Berry had already proven her versatility in Hollywood. One of the biggest names back then, she kept herself active transitioning between dramatic and action-packed roles.
Her dynamic performance in Die Another Day marked a turning point, as she became the first African-American Bond girl, setting a new standard for representation in the series.
After her tenure as Jinx, Berry continued to break barriers, and continued her acting evolutioning as one of Hollywood’s most influential figures. Even now, her influence extends far beyond that single performance, inspiring countless others to push boundaries and be true to themselves on screen and in life.
The Quintessential Bond Girl: Eva Green
Often voted the most attractive Bond girl, Eva Green completely upended the formula with her portrayal of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale (2006). There’s something unmistakably human about her performance—a heady mix of irresistible charm and quiet heartache that transforms Vesper into an achingly complex figure.
More than a pretty face, of course, Green imbued the role with an understated depth. Vesper’s inner turmoil, subtle wit, and latent strength added a richness to the film’s narrative that still lingers in the minds of viewers.
Even before Casino Royale, Green had carved a niche for herself in European cinema with bold choices and a distinctive screen presence. Yet it was in Bond 21 that she truly made her mark, evolving from a celebrated actress into a modern Bond icon.
Since then, she’s ventured into a myriad of roles—from historical dramas to psychological thrillers—always carrying that same enigmatic magnetism. Her portrayal not only redefined what it means to be a Bond girl but also paved the way for more nuanced, resilient female characters in future Bond films.
The Reluctant Bond Girl: Olga Kurylenko
For Olga Kurylenko, playing Camille Montes in Quantum of Solace (2008) was never about being a Bond girl in the traditional sense. There was no glamorous evening gown, no playful double entendres, and crucially, no moment where she fell into bed with Bond. Instead, Camille was a woman on her own mission—driven by revenge, trauma, and entirely uninterested in being another of 007’s fleeting romances.
Kurylenko’s performance gave Quantum of Solace an emotional weight rarely seen in the franchise. Her steely intensity elevating Camille from sidekick to something much more compelling: Bond’s equal.
Before stepping into the world of espionage, Kurylenko had made her mark in European cinema, balancing action roles with arthouse credibility. Quantum of Solace propelled her into the mainstream, leading to a career filled with high-profile projects, from Oblivion opposite Tom Cruise to the meditative To the Wonder by Terrence Malick.
Despite her Bond legacy, Kurylenko never fully embraced the “Bond girl” label. But in breaking the mould, she became something far more enduring—a rare Bond heroine who didn’t just survive but thrived entirely on her own terms.
The Haunting Bond Girl: Bérénice Marlohe
Some Bond girls dazzle, others intrigue—but Bérénice Marlohe’s Sévérine in Skyfall (2012) was something else entirely. With her smoky-eyed allure and air of quiet desperation, she felt less like a femme fatale and more like a tragic figure plucked from a noir thriller.
Her introduction—cool, poised, but laced with unspoken fear—made it immediately clear that Sévérine wasn’t in control of her own fate. And when her story took the inevitable dark turn, it was Marlohe’s performance that left the strongest impression.
Unlike many of her predecessors, Marlohe wasn’t a household name before Bond. A relative unknown in French cinema, she landed the role after an unrelenting campaign to get in front of the film’s casting directors, proving that sometimes sheer determination is the best agent of fate.
While Skyfall didn’t launch her into Hollywood superstardom, it gave her a presence, an aura—one she’s carried into a series of eclectic roles in independent and international films. Her legacy within the Bond universe is brief but potent: a vision of fragile beauty and fatal inevitability, lingering long after the credits roll.
The Timeless Bond Girl: Monica Bellucci
Monica Bellucci’s casting in Spectre (2015) was a rare thing in the Bond universe: a woman who wasn’t a fresh-faced ingénue, but an icon in her own right. As Lucia Sciarra, the widow of an assassinated crime boss, Bellucci brought something that few Bond girls before her had—an air of lived experience.
Her scenes with Daniel Craig crackled with old-school seduction, her husky voice and slow, deliberate movements making it clear that, for once, Bond was in the presence of someone entirely in his league.
By the time she joined Spectre, Bellucci had already spent decades cementing herself as one of European cinema’s most magnetic screen presences. From Malèna to Irreversible, tgis celebrated Italian actress had built a career on playing women who were were dangerous, tragic, and of course beautiful.
Her turn as Lucia was brief, but it carried weight. She may not have been the film’s main love interest, but she didn’t need to be. Bellucci defied expectations simply by existing, proving that allure, sophistication, and power don’t have an expiration date.
Bond Girls Then and Now
For six decades, the Bond girl has been an ever-evolving figure—sometimes a seductive distraction, sometimes an equal, and, increasingly, a force in her own right. The early years of the franchise painted them as glamorous but disposable, defined largely by their beauty and ability to fall for 007’s charms. A sign of the times, let’s say.
The modern Bond girl is no longer just a bed companion to the world’s most famous spy but often the driving force of her own story. Intelligence, agency, and complexity have accompanied mere aesthetics, with these characters now serving as reflections of the era in which they appear.
The role still comes with a certain expectation of allure—after all, this is Bond—but there’s now a sense that these women exist beyond their brief entanglements with MI6’s most valuable asset.