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Bond girl Lana Wood talks about Sean Connery affair
Former Bond girl Lana Wood, who played Plenty O'Toole in the 1971 James Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever", as given a lengthy interview to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2089587/James-Bond-star-Lana-Wood-She-bedded-Sean-Connery-expected-Hollywood-fall-feet-husbands-regrets.html?ito=feeds-newsxml"; target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> where she talks about her life, career and family.
Of note to 007 historians is her first-hand account of the Connery affair, and her feelings on having her part cut substantially in the editing room.
So who made the first move? "He did. I was never that forward. We went out to dinner, then met some of his friends, then went for a walk, and you know. We actually started having an affair before filming began, but we kept it secret. Neither of us was married at the time, but it still isn’t done to be public about it. I remember being very embarrassed when we had to do the love scenes, because we were trying not to let people know You want to be a good actress, but for it not to seem too convincing."
"I think anyone would be hard-pushed to resist Sean. I do find it funny that I felt such a need to be honest and upfront with him, telling him that I couldn’t keep seeing him once we finished filming. As if he was even thinking about that! He was probably laughing away to himself. "
No prizes for guessing who she thinks made the best Bond: "Sean. Every time. I do love Daniel Craig, too, though. Sean was a ladies man, but there was an edge to him that the character required, then. He didn’t have the softness that some of the other Bonds had. The others were fairly lacking, I think. Until Daniel Craig. The bonus with Craig is that he doesn’t have to wear a toupe for the part. "He hated it," she laughs. "He absolutely hated having to wear it."
On the subject of the 'Bond girl curse', where careers come to a screeching halt after their appearance opposite 007 (something that is somewhat overplayed by the media), she said, "It is true that the Bond role didn’t open the doors I maybe thought it would. In fact, it didn’t open any doors at all. All I was offered were sexpot roles, and you can’t be doing those for ever. I did suffer from being stereotyped."
"We were incredibly well looked-after on the set. I filmed in Las Vegas, and then Palm Springs, but glamorous it wasn’t. I had to be thrown into a pool at 3am, then go through the rigmarole of getting my hair and make-up redone when the director wanted another take. At the time, I was mortified at my part in the film. A lot of my scenes were cut, but I didn’t know it until I saw the film. It felt like I bent over to pick up my popcorn and Plenty was dead. I was not a happy camper. I recall thinking: 'Is this what I’ve traveled all over the world promoting?’"
"For a long time, I thought I’d made a mistake with the character, but no longer. Now, when my life revolves around looking after my grandchildren, if I get a Bond-related invite, I jump at the chance."
Of note to 007 historians is her first-hand account of the Connery affair, and her feelings on having her part cut substantially in the editing room.
So who made the first move? "He did. I was never that forward. We went out to dinner, then met some of his friends, then went for a walk, and you know. We actually started having an affair before filming began, but we kept it secret. Neither of us was married at the time, but it still isn’t done to be public about it. I remember being very embarrassed when we had to do the love scenes, because we were trying not to let people know You want to be a good actress, but for it not to seem too convincing."
"I think anyone would be hard-pushed to resist Sean. I do find it funny that I felt such a need to be honest and upfront with him, telling him that I couldn’t keep seeing him once we finished filming. As if he was even thinking about that! He was probably laughing away to himself. "
No prizes for guessing who she thinks made the best Bond: "Sean. Every time. I do love Daniel Craig, too, though. Sean was a ladies man, but there was an edge to him that the character required, then. He didn’t have the softness that some of the other Bonds had. The others were fairly lacking, I think. Until Daniel Craig. The bonus with Craig is that he doesn’t have to wear a toupe for the part. "He hated it," she laughs. "He absolutely hated having to wear it."
On the subject of the 'Bond girl curse', where careers come to a screeching halt after their appearance opposite 007 (something that is somewhat overplayed by the media), she said, "It is true that the Bond role didn’t open the doors I maybe thought it would. In fact, it didn’t open any doors at all. All I was offered were sexpot roles, and you can’t be doing those for ever. I did suffer from being stereotyped."
"We were incredibly well looked-after on the set. I filmed in Las Vegas, and then Palm Springs, but glamorous it wasn’t. I had to be thrown into a pool at 3am, then go through the rigmarole of getting my hair and make-up redone when the director wanted another take. At the time, I was mortified at my part in the film. A lot of my scenes were cut, but I didn’t know it until I saw the film. It felt like I bent over to pick up my popcorn and Plenty was dead. I was not a happy camper. I recall thinking: 'Is this what I’ve traveled all over the world promoting?’"
"For a long time, I thought I’d made a mistake with the character, but no longer. Now, when my life revolves around looking after my grandchildren, if I get a Bond-related invite, I jump at the chance."
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Comments
That said, she will always find a soft spot in our hearts as the girl with the great introduction line and two fabulous assets. Her deleted scenes have been (partially?) recovered for the DVDs and she has a few nice promotion pictures floating around. She's a darling, no doubt, and about that affair with Connery, I'm relatively indifferent to be honest. I hope she's a happy granny and has all the fun and joy with her grandchildren.
Bingo. Amid all the talk over the years of the "Bond girl curse," it's easy to overlook that some of the actresses were cast primarily (only?) for their looks. Talisa Soto, anyone?
Think talisa appeared in the mortal combat films, without bond she may not even have got that. famkee jansen did reasonably well after bond.
I have to agree. Lana was not good of an actress but was there just for eye candy. Women like Fameke Janssen, Jane Seymour, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg have more acting ability and have gone on to great careers after their Bond films.
Plus I didn't know about Sean and Lana's fling- not at all surprised though, lol She was 25 and HOT
Not sure about Sean, but I know George dated her for a while!
He's so cool he doesn't even have to be in the movie to get the Bond girl! :D
Interesting and correct.
Indeed. When I read some Bond fans complain about the acting abilities(or lack thereof) of some of the more recent Bond girls, I tend to laugh. The Diana Riggs are the exception not the norm here. As the eye candy she was hired to be for DAF, Miss Wood completely succeeded in her role.
She basically enjoys fame for not only her Bond girl role but for being the sister of a more famous Hollywood legend, Natalie. And for playing Natalie's character as a little girl in John Ford's 1956 western classic "The Searchers."
You Think he's the best so do I but stories like this don't make me swell with pride they make me think what a snake he was, maybe you should have thought for his Wife at the time rather than patting him on the back.
I think the richer and more famous blokes get the more likely it is that they'll cheat on their girlfriends/wifes. Look at how many footballers have had affairs recently. But I agree with you, sean was a great bond but I don't think he was that great a guy back when he was younger. BUT in fairness neither of them were with anybody then if you read what woods said. So I think we all would've done what sean did if we were him.
And yes 1007 reached. That's what I always wanted and that's it for me.
Did you bother reading Wood's comments in its entirety?? She said neither of them were in a relationship with other people. Do yourself a favour.
Corrected. Nah, just joshin'. Although, let's be honest, that clearly was the primary purpose behind Lana Wood's casting, I've always liked her and her character in Diamonds. Always struck me as a very approachable former Hollywood starlet, just like Jill St. John, in fact.
Well, Henry Kissinger also famously enjoyed a fling with St. John and he, er, certainly didn't look like either Conners or Lazers. :p
Funny, in some ways, to think it was Connery and Wood who had the affair, given how great was his on-screen chemistry with St. John. He and Wood did a fine job of hiding their fling when it came to their on-screen acting, after all... ;)
Just appreciating the female form. And what a form it is... ( )( )
ahh ... I forgot that. Thanks!
Also, I wonder if there were ever any Bonds and Bong girls who HATED each other. I heard somewhere that Peirce and Teri Hatcher didn't really get along. I wonder who else?
Apparently Roger Moore couldn't stand Grace Jones because she was always playing her music really loud in her dressing room.
I went to a talk by Rog in London in 2008 and he strongly implied that he also disliked Brit Eckland.
Ha Ha! Damnit I just realized I wrote 'Bong girls' and now it's been quoted so I can't fix it! Oh well