No “James Bond” film would be made without the inclusion of a female lead alongside James Bond. Through the continued success of the Bond franchise, the role of a Bond girl has increased in importance and has shaped the careers of many up-and-coming actresses. One key feature of any Bond girl is that there has to be some sexual chemistry with the main character, Bond, or 007. Bond girls have tended to be allied with the protagonist, but there have been some who have played the villain. To confuse things even further, some Bond girls have switched back and forth between these two positions, adding extra excitement and intrigue for the audience. Ten of the most memorable Bond girls who appeared in the Bond series are listed below.
Honey Ryder
Played by the Swiss actress Ursula Andress, Honey Ryder set the standard for Bond girls in the first Bond film, released in 1962, “Dr. No.” In the film, there is one scene in which Andress emerges from the sea wearing a skimpy white bikini. Honey Ryder is thought of by many as the best Bond girl of the franchise due to her impact on the Bond girl character.
Pussy Galore
Appearing in the 1964 film “Goldfinger,” Pussy Galore is one of the series’ most intriguing Bond girls due to her betrayal of Bond after turning him into Goldfinger. The actress Honor Blackman played the part and has so far been the oldest Bond girl, at thirty-nine years old, to play the role.
Kissy Suzuki
The 1967 film “You Only Live Twice” was the first to showcase a number of Asian Bond girls. Kissy Suzuki, played by Mie Hama, works as a Japanese secret service agent and stages a fake wedding with Bond so that he can go undercover for a mission.
Teresa di Vicenzo
Actress Diana Rigg took on the role of Teresa di Vicenzo, also known as Tracy Draco, in the 1969 film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” Often thought of as Bond’s only true love, di Vicenzo and Bond get married at the end of the film, only for her to be gunned down by one of the film’s main antagonists, Irma Bunt.
Solitaire
In the 1973 film “Live and Let Die,” Solitaire is a stunning tarot card reader who loses her abilities after falling for Bond. Played by the well-known English actress Jane Seymour, Solitaire manages to escape the reaches of her ex-boss thanks to the help of Bond.
Octopussy
Octopussy, played by a Swedish ex-model Maud Adams, is the chief Bond girl in the 1983 Bond film of the same name. One of the more intelligent Bond girls, Octopussy helps Bond fight off his enemy, her former boss Kamal Khan. Adams also had a smaller Bond girl role as Andrea Anders in the 1974 film “The Man with the Golden Gun.”
Wai Lin
Malaysian beauty Michelle Yeoh took on the role of Wai Lin in the 1997 Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies.” Working as a Chinese spy, Lin has the same objective as Bond: to stop Carver’s plan to provoke a war between Britain and China. After the two of them are captured, the pair teams up and works together to expose Carver. Lin was the first Bond girl to turn down Bond’s advances, but she does fall for him at the end of the film.
Elektra King
The 1999 film “The World Is Not Enough” has a French actress, Sophie Marceau, playing the role of the deceitful Elektra King. Bond is enamored by King throughout the film but is unaware that she is in fact working with the villain, Renard. Once Bond finds out about her betrayal, he has no trouble in killing her in cold blood.
Giacinta “Jinx” Johnson
Academy award-winning actress Halle Berry plays “Jinx” in the 2002 Bond film “Die Another Day.” Bond first witnesses “Jinx” while she is coming out of the sea wearing a stunning orange bikini. This scene is remarkably similar to the first time that Bond saw Honey Ryder in the first Bond movie. “Jinx” displays a mental fortitude that is rarely seen in a Bond girl, and she has the physical toughness to be able to take out her main adversary, Miranda Frost.
Miss Moneypenny
The latest Bond film, “Skyfall,” features a reincarnation of Moneypenny, played by British actress Naomie Harris, after a ten-year hiatus. Traditionally, this role was acting as the private secretary to the head of MI6, but Harris plays the role of a field agent who works side by side with Bond.
