No one would blame you if it slipped your mind that the Queen of Pop appeared opposite Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day.
It’s been six decades and 25 movies since the inception of the James Bond movie franchise, and many actors and celebrities have graced the screen in that time.
But, especially after this past year, which proved time is indeed a flat circle (as Matthew McConaughey’s Rustin Cohle says on True Detective), no one would blame you if you didn’t remember that Madonna, the Queen of Pop, made an appearance in the films—which she did (in addition to singing the theme song) in Die Another Day. So, we look back on some of those stars you might’ve forgotten about who contributed to the franchise’s legacy.
Joanna Lumley
The absolutely fabulous Joanna Lumley of Absolutely Fabulous fame made her film debut in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as an Angel of Death, one of 12 women from around the world brainwashed by Blofeld (Telly Savalas).
Sammy Davis Jr.
Diamonds Are Forever and so is Sammy Davis Jr. The legendary singer appears in that 1971 Bond film and makes a remark about how you couldn’t make a cake big enough to put under Sean Connery’s 007, who was suited like a wedding cake topper.
Charles Dance
Iconic English actor Charles Dance acted opposite Roger Moore in the Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981), in which he played the mercenary and assassin named Claus. Dance would later appear on screen in Game of Thrones with the late Diana Rigg, noted Bond Girl from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Dolph Lundgren
Look at baby Dolph Lundgren! The hulking Swedish actor would eventually become a world-renowned action movie star, but first he performed the a small role in A View to a Kill (1985) as Venz, a bodyguard for the head of the KGB.
Barbara Broccoli
Along with Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli has led the charge on the Bond franchise as a lead producer since the era of Pierce Brosnan, being instrumental in shaping the direction of these films. But she also made an appearance in a Bond movie. In 1987’s The Living Daylights, she appeared as a background actor in the opera sequence.
Minnie Driver
Ladies and gentlemen, the incomparable Irina! Good Will Hunting and Sleepers actress Minnie Driver portrayed this nightclub singer and mistress of crime boss Valentin Zukovsky (Robbie Coltrane) in 1995’s GoldenEye.
Gerard Butler
One of the first big movie gigs for Gerard Butler, known these days for Olympus Has Fallen and 300, was in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. He showed up briefly aboard the British Royal Navy’s HMS Devonshire frigate.
Hugh Bonneville
Between Downton Abbey and Paddington, Hugh Bonneville is the embodiment of British niceness, even though Ted Lasso has a monopoly on that brand these days. Booneville appeared in the gentlemanly British movie series with Tomorrow Never Dies, as an unnamed member of the British Royal Navy.
Goldie
British musician and DJ Goldie, born Clifford Price, played the gold-toothed bodyguard Mister Bullion in 1999’s The World Is Not Enough.
Madonna
Madonna pulled double duty for 2002’s Die Another Day, performing the film’s theme song and appearing opposite Brosnan and Rosamund Pike as mistress of fencing Verity.
Tobias Menzies
The Crown Emmy winner Tobias Menzies shows up in 2006’s Casino Royale as M’s assistant Villiers, who gets to pal around with a double-0 for a day.
Richard Branson
The founder of Virgin Group, which owns Virgin Airlines, wouldn’t be the kind of person frisked at a Miami airport before boarding. But in Casino Royale, that’s exactly what happens to Richard Branson.
Michael G. Wilson
Broccoli isn’t the only Bond gatekeeper to make an appearance in the films themselves. Wilson made a cameo in Casino Royale, but it was the latest in a long line of cameos that began all the way back in 1964’s Goldfinger.
Alessandra Ambrosio
Bond rolls up to a luxurious country club in Casino Royale where he catches the eye of two women in tennis outfits. One of them is supermodel and Victoria’s Secret angel Alessandra Ambrosio.
David Harbour
Before Chief Hopper on Stranger Things and Alexi in Black Widow, and Hellboy in… well, Hellboy, David Harbour was the nefarious CIA section chief Gregg Beam, who had ties to Quantum operative Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) in the 2008 movie Quantum of Solace.
Alfonso Cuarón and Guillermo del Toro
Marc Forster, the director of Quantum of Solace, asked his Oscar-winning filmmaker buddies to appear in small capacities in the franchise’s 22nd movie. Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) voiced various roles, while Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) appeared as a helicopter pilot.
Wolf Blitzer
In Hollywood’s long history of tapping real-life newsmen and women to portray reporters on screen, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer appeared briefly in 2012’s Skyfall to share some news that incites Bond to action.
News
Reacher’s Alan Ritchson on the effects training for the show had on his body
Reacher star Alan Ritchson has talked about the effects that getting so jacked for the show has had on his body. Reacher star says show “f**king wrecked” his bodyAmazon Prime The actor went on an intense training regime to achieve the physique of…
10 Reasons Why Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Would Be The DCU’s Perfect Batman
Alan Ritchson is one of the leading fancasts to play Batman in James Gunn’s DC Universe, and a few factors explain why the casting would work. Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury SUMMARY Alan Ritchson’s experience with DC heroes like Aquaman and…
Alan Ritchson Is the Ultimate Dad as He Tells a Road Trip Vomit Story
The ‘Reacher’ star gleaned some parenting wisdom from a very messy moment. ALAN RITCHSON MIGHT have become synonymous with the character of Jack Reacher in the pop culture sphere, but at home he’s better known as “Dad,” and is far more likely…
Reacher Season 3 Adds New Cast Members & Reveals Exciting New Character Details
The third season of Reacher has added several cast members, with one character sounding like an evil version of Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher. Prime Video SUMMARY Amazon’s Reacher season 3 welcomes new cast members. Actor Brian Tee joins as Quinn, a ruthless…
“Nobody really cares about acting”: Alan Ritchson’s Dismissive Attitude Cost Him 2 of the Biggest Franchise Roles in History
Alan Ritchson’s carelessness cost him Thor, while an unjustified age concern led to missing The Hunger Games SUMMARY Alan Ritchson’s fans feel let down by his missed chances in major roles in Thor and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Ritchson’s…
Alan Ritchson’s Quest To Achieve Reacher’s Proper Weight Sent Him To The Hospital
By now, any fan of Jack Reacher will know the story of how Prime Video’s “Reacher” series came to be. Once the Tom Cruise-led films were out of the way, fans demanded a more physically imposing leading man, which they…
End of content
No more pages to load