Top 10 Actresses Who Beat the Bond Girl Curse

Top 10 Actresses Who Beat the Bond Girl Curse

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A Bond girl jinx? Not for these starlets! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 actresses who beat the Bond girl curse. It’s been said that taking on the role of a Bond girl can have a negative effect on an actress’ career. For this list, we are looking at the actresses who starred as Bond babes but managed to have or keep successful careers afterwards, bucking the curse that plagued other notable stars.

Despite appearing on the small screen for several years and gaining moderate fame as TV’s Lois Lane, Hatcher’s first big screen break came in the 1997 Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies.” She starred as Paris Carver, the former girlfriend of 007 and current wife of Elliot Carver, the film’s main antagonist. Though her performance was met with mixed reviews, she did parlay the high-profile role into more TV work, ultimately landing the role of Susan Delfino on the hit comedy-drama-mystery series, “Desperate Housewives” and becoming one of the highest-paid actresses in television.

Though she was a successful model, the acting bug bit Kurylenko, so she built her résumé with films like “Hitman.” But her real recognition as an actress came as a result of her as role as Camille Montes alongside Daniel Craig in 2008’s “Quantum of Solace.” She brought a new twist to the classic Bond babe, as her character focused more on revenge and redemption rather than romance. But how do we know she beat the curse? Her turns in movies like “Centurion,” “Seven Psychopaths” and “Oblivion” are all the proof we need.

#8: Jane Seymour

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After gaining recognition for roles in Britain, the twenty-something Seymour was cast as the psychic-virgin Solitaire in 1973’s “Live and Let Die,” becoming one of the most beautiful Bond girls ever. She bounced around from TV to film over the next years, winning acclaim for the 1980 romantic fantasy film “Somewhere In Time,” and earning Golden Globes for her work in both “East of Eden” and – perhaps her most famous role – “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.” But who can forget when, in 2005, she proved she’s still got it with her portrayal of the cougarly Mrs. Cleary in “Wedding Crashers”?

Before being cast as Elektra King, Marceau was no rookie when it came to the big screen: she’d already been appearing in films for nearly 20 years, including the part that made her internationally famous: Isabella of France in “Braveheart.” Although 1999’s “The World Is Not Enough” is considered by some as one of the weaker Bond flicks, Marceau’s performance was praised. Her Hollywood career hasn’t quite taken off, but she has become a mainstay of French cinema, starring in over a dozen French films, including the critically successful “Fidelity” and the thriller “Don’t Look Back.”

#6: Kim Basinger

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Starting out as a model, Basinger’s breakout performance was as Domino Petachi in 1983’s “Never Say Never Again.” To publicize the film, she famously posed nude in Playboy, which helped her obtain her Golden Globe-nominated part in “The Natural.” Perhaps one of the most successful Bond girls post-007, Basinger’s star shined even brighter thanks to her role as Bruce Wayne’s love interest in Tim Burton’s first “Batman” movie. But ultimately, it was her work in “L.A. Confidential” that won her an Academy Award, and her appearance in Eminem’s “8 Mile” that introduced her to yet another generation.

#5: Diana Rigg

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Rigg was already well-known in the UK for playing the dazzling Emma Peel in the ‘60s-era British spy series “The Avengers,” making her an easy choice to play Bond girl Teresa di Vicenzo in 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” That gave her the push she needed to gain fame in America, and to ensure an enduring career. With much of her most famous work coming on television, Rigg won a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the TV miniseries “Rebecca,” and was nominated several more times, including a nod for her performance on “Game of Thrones.”

#4: Michelle Yeoh

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The second Bond babe from “Tomorrow Never Dies” to make our list, this former beauty queen plays Wai Lin, a Chinese spy who eventually partners with 007. Widely regarded as one of the best Bond girls, she was so popular that MGM considered producing a spin-off film based around her character. Three years after Bond, Yeoh showed off the martial-arts skills she built early in her career with “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” the highest-grossing foreign-language film ever in America. And, with movies like “Memoirs of a Geisha,” she further kicked the curse to the curb.

One of the most infamous Bond girls of all time, Janssen received her first big Hollywood break when she got the part of Xenia Onatopp, an assassin with a unique strangulation move, in 1995’s “GoldenEye.” Janssen made an effort not to be typecast after her Bond work. However, she truly transcended the franchise with what is perhaps her best-known role: Jean Grey of the “X-Men.” Ultimately, that franchise was one she returned to multiple times, in between a recurring part of “Nip/Tuck,” and other hugely successful parts in movies like “Taken.”

#2: Eva Green

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Though her first taste of international fame came from 2005’s “Kingdom of Heaven,” the Bond franchise offered an undeniable boost to Green’s profile. Beating out Hollywood heavyweights like Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron for the part of Vesper Lynd, Green’s career really took off following 2006’s “Casino Royale.” After that, the roles kept coming, on TV and in big budget features. 2014 was an especially significant year for Green, as she appeared in both “300: Rise of an Empire” and “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” cementing her status as one of Hollywood’s go-to leading ladies. Normally here we’d list some honorable mentions, but we’ve decided that – while the world may not be enough – ten IS for this list.

The lesser-known Bond babe from 2002’s “Die Another Day,” Pike has been able to escape the Bond curse – unlike her co-star Halle Berry. After starring as the double-agent Miranda Frost, Pike went on to play supporting roles in numerous critically acclaimed films, including award-nominated parts in 2005’s “Pride & Prejudice” and 2010’s “Barney’s Version.” But it was 2014’s “Gone Girl” that truly demolished the Bond girl curse: Pike’s star-making performance earned her not only name recognition in Hollywood, but also the respect of her peers. Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite actress to escape the Bond girl curse? For more exciting Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.