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Tania Mallet dead: Goldfinger Bond girl dies aged 77


James Bond star Tania Mallet, who starred in the 1964 hit Goldfinger, has passed away aged 77.

The actress played Tilly Masterson in the film and starred alongside actor Sean Connery.

Her role in the classic movie earned her the title of “Bond girl” and propelled her to stardom.

Express.co.uk has contacted Eon Productions for comment.

A statement released on the official James Bond Twitter account read: “We are very sorry to hear that Tania Mallet who played Tilly Masterson in GOLDFINGER has passed away.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.”

Meanwhile, a post on the Facebook page Bond Stars read: “Unfortunately we must share the very sad news that our dear friend Tania Mallet has sadly passed away.

“She was a very classy and beautiful lady inside and out.”

It continued: “We will cherish the memories of the infamous trips to Holland with her and Eunice.”

Tania began her career as a teenage model and was one of the most recognisable faces in the 1950s and ’60s.

A picture of her in a bikini during her modelling days was sent to James Bond producer, Cubby Broccolio, who called her in for a screen test for the role of Tatiana Romanova in 1957’s From Russia With Love.

Recalling the moment in a 2003 interview with James Bond fan site MI6, Tania said: “I believe it was a picture taken by Henry Clark for Vogue and shows me lying on some rocks in a bikini.”

Tania did not get the part, however, she was later cast for the Bond classic, Golfinger, several years later.

The role of Tatiana Romanov was given to Italian beauty Daniela Bianchi, who was also a famous model.

Tania’s character, Tilly, in Golfinger was killed off by henchman Oddjob before the movie ended, however, she become a huge hit.

Despite her success, she never filmed another movie again and later admitted the money for shooting a film was “dreadful”.

She is said to have initially been paid £50 a day for the film, but negotiated up to £150, which was almost equal to her pay as a model.

Also, Tania, who is cousins with fellow actress Dame Helen Mirren, said she hated the lack of freedom when under contract making a movie.

Dame Helen wrote about Tania in her 2007 memoir, revealing the model used her showbiz earnings on her family.

She paid for her brothers’ education and is said to have been devoted to helping her mother.



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