Over the years of Bond films, everyone has had their favorite, but the very first Bond girl was Swiss actress Ursula Andress. Interestingly, recent rumors suggest that James Bond may soon be played by a woman.
Now 89 years old, Andress caused a sensation with her appearance in the very first Bond movie, Dr. No (1962).
How does the first Bond girl look today—the woman who made bikinis popular? Photos where she’s nearly unrecognizable.
Ursula Andress – the first Bond girl / Getty
Ursula starred alongside Sean Connery. But she became famous not only for her role, but also for sparking a sexual revolution in the U.S. and the U.K. All thanks to her iconic scene, walking out of the sea in a bikini to the song Under the Mango Tree.
At the time, America and Britain were still quite puritanical: no one wore bikinis yet, and women rarely revealed so much skin on the beach. It was Ursula who gave bikinis their first big push. Soon, white two-piece swimsuits flooded stores and became one of the symbols driving the sexual revolution.
Interestingly, Ursula herself helped design the bikini with the film’s costume designer, tailoring it to her figure. The swimsuit was a one-of-a-kind creation made of ivory-colored cotton, with draped fabric, a small bow, and a wide military-style belt. After the film’s release, even Playboy began photographing women in bikinis for the first time.
Forty years later, Halle Berry recreated the legendary scene in the 2002 film Die Another Day, with costume designers drawing direct inspiration from Ursula’s bikini.
