EXCLUSIVE: World's Most Iconic James Bond Girl at 90 — From Bikini Scene That Made Her Famous to Her 'Panic' Over Bone Disease Battle
Insiders say her health battle has impacted daily life and her legacy fears.
Ursula Andress, the original James Bond girl whose white bikini scene defined an era of cinema, has reached 90 – amid growing concern over her health as she battles osteoporosis and lives largely out of the public eye.
The Swiss-born actress, who turned 90 on March 19, became a global icon in 1962 when she emerged from the sea as Honey Ryder in Dr No opposite Sean Connery’s 007.
At just 25, Andress was catapulted to international fame by a scene later voted among the most iconic in film history.
Born in 1936 in Bern to a Swiss mother and German diplomat father, she had arrived in Hollywood after early modeling work and small roles in Italian cinema, encouraged by figures including Marlon Brando.
Despite the success, Andress would later reflect on the limitations imposed by her sudden fame and the industry’s fixation on her image.