Claudine Auger, a French actress who starred opposite Sean Connery in “Thunderball” as one of the first "James Bond" girls, has died at 78.
Her agency, Time Art, confirmed the news, stating that the icon had died Wednesday in Paris after battling a long illness, BBC reported. No further details were immediately available.
Auger first made waves as a model in 1958, when she was crowned the first runner-up in Miss World. She then moved on to acting, appearing in various films including the 1962 film "The Iron Mask," before she landed her defining role three years later in the fourth Bond film, "Thunderball."
The bombshell became the first French female co-star to the James Bond character when she was cast as Domino alongside Connery. Her performance put her on the map and opened the door for various acting opportunities. Auger went on to enjoy an illustrious career that spanned decades.
News of Auger’s death set social media alight as fans took to Twitter to mourn the loss.
"Adieu Dear #ClaudineAuger you were the most beautiful Bond girl and one of the most talented actress. I really loved you! Rip," wrote @MusumeciClaudio in a tweet.
"In terms of leading ladies in the James Bond series it doesn’t get any more iconic than this. Claudine may have passed away but these images are burned onto the retina for millions around the world," posted @Thunderballs007, the Twitter account for the largest unofficial online James Bond Picture Archive.
"#RIP to #ClaudineAuger who was not only one of the most beautiful women in the history of the #JamesBond franchise when she appeared in #Thunderball but in all of cinema," added @justjoe52218 in a tweet.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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