Claudine Auger, the French actor known for James Bond role dies at 78

French actor Claudine Auger who was best known for her role alongside Sean Connery in the 1965 James Bond film titled Thunderball has passed away at age 78. The actor died on Wednesday in Paris following a long period of illness. The actor was a well-renowned model and represented France when she became the first runner up for Miss World in 1958.

Claudine Auger: French actor known for James Bond role dies aged 78 

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She quickly developed a talent for acting and was first seen in the 1962 film Iron mask. A few years later she was offered the role of Domino and the actor rose to global fame. Thunderball was the fourth film in the Bond Franchise. She was considered to be the first female co-star to the James Bond character, known as a Bond Girl.

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It was later revealed that the makers of the film had written the character for Auger itself. They initially planned on making her character Italian, however, they settled for the character to be French. Prior to her, bond girls weren’t looked upon for their acting abilities but were rather being overshadowed by the protagonist.

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It was after Auger that the bond girls were recognised for their acting abilities and were handed more complex scripts to work with. After the release of Thunderball, the actor went on to receive a fruitful career in French and Italian cinema throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Some of her best-known films were That Man George and Flic Story, and the romantic tragedy A Few Hours of Sunlight.

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