10 Oldest Bond Girls Ever (Updated 2021)

James Bond is one of the most famous fictional characters and his film franchise has spanned over five decades. Although each Bond film tells a different story, many of the films’ elements are consistent including the appearance of Bond girls. Every James Bond film features beautiful female characters who are either allies or villains. Starring as a Bond girl can turn an actress from an unknown into a major Hollywood star.

For the purposes of this list, the Bond girls have been ordered by film appearance rather than age but all of these actresses are over 70 years old with the oldest in their 90s. As of April 2021, this list is as accurate as possible and will be updated as needed.

10. Maragaret Nolan (October 29, 1943 – October 5, 2020)

photo source: IMDB

Although Margaret Nolan was the gold painted woman that appeared in all the advertisements and title sequence of Goldfinger, she was not cast in the lead female role. Shirley Eaton was cast instead as Jill Masterson and Nolan was given a very small role as the character Dink.

Nolan was known for being a glamour model and her appearances in the Goldfinger advertisements led her to be featured in Playboy magazine’s James Bond’s Girls edition of November 1965. After Goldfinger, Nolan continued to act and has roles in numerous films and television series. Nolan is also a visual artist and creates grotesque photo-montages assembled from cut-outs of her early publicity photographs. In October 2020, just a few weeks before her 77^th birthday, Nolan passed after her battle with cancer.

Did You Know?

Margaret Nolan was only married once, to English playwright Tom Kempinski, from 1967 to 1972.

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9. Tania Mallet (May 19, 1941 – March 30 2019)

photo source: IMDB

Tania Mallet was primarily an English model and made her first and only major film appearance as Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger. Mallet’s character is the sister of Jill Masterson, who wants revenge on Goldfinger for Jill’s death. After two failed attempts to kill Goldfinger, Mallet’s character is killed by Oddjob’s iconic steel rimmed hat.

Mallet had first caught the attention of Bond producer Cubby Broccolli after someone sent him a photo of her in a bikini. She was originally tested for the role of Tatiana Romanova in the earlier Bond film From Russia with Love. Despite the success of Goldfinger, Mallet returned to modeling and turned down several film offers because she that the money she made acting was “dreadful”.

Did You Know?

Tania Mallett was the first cousin of Academy Award winning actress Helen Mirren. Mallet’s mother and Mirren’s father were siblings.

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8. Shirley Eaton (January 12, 1937 – Present)

photo source: IMDB

The height of Shirley Eaton’s film career lasted throughout the 1950s and 1960s. During this time she became a sex symbol and starred as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger. Like many Bond femme fatales, Eaton’s character initially worked out for the titular villain but ends up falling for Bond. Eaton’s death in the film is one of the Bond franchise’s most iconic and features Eaton covered completely in gold paint.

Before Goldfinger, Eaton appeared in films with some of the top British male comedy stars of the time period including Jimmy Edwards, Max Bygraves, Bob Monkhouse, and Arthur Askey. Eaton continued to act until 1969 when she decided to focus on raising her children.

Did You Know?

In 1999, Shirley Eaton published an autobiography titled Golden Girl. Her later book (Golden Girl Shirley Eaton: Her Reflections), which contains pictures from her film career.

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7. Honor Blackman (August 22, 1925 – April 5, 2020)

photo source: IMDB

When it comes to age, Honor Blackman is the oldest Bond girl as she was nearly 40 years old when she starred in Goldfinger in 1963. However, because Blackman did not become a Bond girl until the third James Bond movie she is being placed further down on this list. Goldfinger is one of the most beloved Bond films and Blackman played the famous Pussy Galore.

Before appearing in Goldfinger, Blackman had already been acting for nearly two decades and was well-known. Blackman’s other popular roles include Cathy Gale in The Avengers TV series and Hera in Jason and the Argonauts. Blackman continued to act until 2015 and one of her last appearances was in the BBC drama By Any Means in 2013.

Did You Know?

Honor Blackman was very politically active before her death in 2020 and she was a member of the Liberal Democrats.

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6. Aliza Gur (April 1, 1940 – Present)

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

Aliza Gur is probably best-known for her playing Vida in the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love. Gur’s played one of two gypsy women in the film who had a famous fight scene with the character Zora played by Martine Beswick. The fight was believable because of Gur’s training as a combat soldier in the Israeli Army. Other than a few acting roles, Gur was famous for being Miss Israel of 1960. Gur was also a semifinalist in the Miss Universe contest from that same year.

Did You Know?

Aliza Gur was roommates with Daniela Bianchi, the lead actress in From Russia with Love, during the Miss Universe contest.

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5. Martine Beswick (September 26, 1941 – Present)

photo source: IMDB

Although Martine Beswick’s acting career spanned several decades from 1962 – 1995, she is best known as for her roles as two different Bond girls. Beswick originally auditioned for the first Bond film Dr. No in 1962 but was not cast until From Russia with Love came out the following year. The Jamaican born actress plays a gypsy woman named Zora who gets in a catfight with her rival Vida. Beswick then appears in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball as the character Paula Caplan.

After her two Bond girl roles, Beswick went on to star in several films and television series including One Million Years B.C., A Bullet for the General, Fantasy Island, and The Six Million Dollar Man. Beswick is now semiretired but occasionally participates in documentaries about the Bond franchise.

Did You Know?

In 2018, Martine Beswick came out of a 24 year retirement to star in House of the Gorgon opposite  Caroline Munro, Veronica Carlson, and Christopher Neame.

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4. Daniela Bianchi (January 31, 1942 – Present)

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

Daniela Bianchi played the main Bond girl in the second James Bond film From Russia with Love. Bianchi’s character, Tatiana Romanova, starts out as a spy for SPECTRE whose mission is to take out James Bond. After Romanova forms a relationship with Bond, she ends up helping him instead of killing him.

Bianchi had a short film career that only lasted about a decade and Tatiana Romanova was her best-known role. Before becoming an actress, Bianchi was the first runner-up in the 1960 Miss Universe contest and was voted Most Photogenic.

Did You Know?

Daniela Bianchi retired from acting in 1970 after marrying shipping magnate Alberto Cameli, whom she stayed married to until he died in 2018.

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3. Zena Marshall (January 1, 1926 – July 10, 2009)

photo source: IMDB

As the Miss Taro in the first James Bond film Dr. No, Zena Marshall was the original James Bond femme fatale. Marshall’s character, Miss Taro was a spy for the titular villain Dr. No and established one of the most important plot points of any James Bond film – exotic beauties trying and ultimately failing to seduce Bond to help the villain.

Marshall started her acting career in 1945 and starred in several films before appearing in Dr. No. Despite being of European heritage, Marshall looked exotic and was often cast in “ethnic” roles, often playing Asian women such as Miss Taro.

Did You Know?

According to Zena Marshall, her “exotic” look was because she had French, English, and Irish ancestry.

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2. Ursula Andress (March 19, 1936 – Present)

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

Ursula Andress is one of the most iconic James Bond girls ever, appearing as Honey Ryder in the James Bond film Dr. No in 1962. Although Andress had started her acting career in 1954 and received some publicity for dating James Dean shortly before his death, she did not become a true movie star until Dr. No was released. Following the success of Dr. No, Andress became a well-known actress whose career lasted until 2005.

Andress’ first scene in the movie where she rose out of the Caribbean Sea in a white bikini with a large diving knife by her side became one of the most iconic moments in film history. Honey Ryder is one of the most popular Bond girls ever and set the tone for all future Bond girls.

Did You Know?

When Urusula Andress first moved to Hollywood, she didn’t speak any English and spent her time watching old Marlene Dietrich movies since she couldn’t get work until her English improved.

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1. Eunice Gayson (March 17, 1928 – June 8, 2018)

photo source: IMDB

Eunice Gayson starred as Sylvia Trench in the very first James Bond film Dr. No in 1962, making her the original and oldest James Bond girl. Gayson appeared in the opening scene of Dr. No and introduced herself as “Trench, Sylvia Trench”, which prompted James Bond to introduce himself the same way and utter one of the most famous lines in cinematic history.

In addition to being the first official Bond girl, Gayson was the first Bond girl to reprise her role in another Bond movie (From Russia with Love in 1963). There were plans to have Gayson continue her role in additional Bond movies, but the idea was scrapped when director Guy Hamilton joined the Bond franchise.

Did You Know?

Eunice Gayson’s daughter with stage actor Brian Jackson, Kate Jackson, appeared in the casino scene in the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye.