Ursula Andress became a global sensation when she was chosen to play the first Bond girl in the iconic James Bond film series. Despite her distinctive Swiss/German accent, Andress beat the likes of Julie Christie, Martine Beswick, and Gabriella Licudi to clinch the role. Subsequently, she gained global recognition for her performance, winning the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year.
Ursula Andress had a humble beginning as an actress before her breakout role in Dr. No (1962). She began her career with an uncredited role in the Steno-directed 1954 comedy film An American in Rome. While she no longer makes screen appearances, Andress left a legacy for the ages with her collection of American, British, and Italian films.
How Old Is Ursula Andress?
Of Swiss-German ancestry, Ursula Andress was born on March 19, 1936, in Ostermundigen, Switzerland. Her father, Rolf Andress was a German diplomat expelled from Switzerland for political reasons. Andress mother, Anna Andress was a Swiss woman. The third among six children born to her parents, Andress grew up with a brother named Heinz and four sisters, Erika, Charlotte, Gisela, and Kàtey.
After her father’s expulsion from Switzerland, Ursula Andress’s grandfather assumed the role of her guardian. Growing up in Canton of Bern, Andress schooled in Bern until age 16 and attended art classes in Paris for a year before moving to Rome. During this time, she learned to speak several languages, including French, German, English, and Italian. Being multilingual helped her accent to the top of her game as an actress.
How Ursula Andress Went From Uncredited Roles To The First Bond Girl
Ursula Andress debuted in an uncredited role in the 1954 Italian film An American in Rome. She appeared in two minor roles in Sins of Casanova and La catena dell’odio before landing her breakout role as Honey Ryder in Dr. No (1962), the first film adaption of the James Bond series. Julie Christie was originally considered for the role of Honey Ryder but her body didn’t match the requirements. Martine Beswick and Gabriella Licudi also fell short of what producers wanted before Andress snagged the iconic role.
To play the Jamaican character convincingly, Andress got her body tanned. Again, due to Andress’ heavy Swiss-German accent, her lines were dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl while Diana Coupland provided her singing voice. The role turned Andress into an international star; she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year in 1964. Andress later played the female lead in a 1963 Elvis Presley musical Fun in Acapulco, and appeared in prominent and supporting roles in several 1965 projects such as She, What’s New Pussycat? and The 10th Victim.
In 1967, Ursula Andress played Vesper Lynd in the James Bond parody, Casino Royale. She went on to appear in numerous films on different continents. Some notable films in her filmography are The Southern Star (1969), Perfect Friday (1970), Red Sun (1971), Slave of the Cannibal God (1978), and Clash of the Titans (1981). Andress earned the nickname “Ursula Undress” for her numerous nude and semi-nude scenes.
Where Is Ursula Andress Now?
Ursula Andress appears to be enjoying her retirement days. The iconic Bond girl became scarce on the screen in the early 1990s. Some of the 1990s projects she appeared in include The Cave of the Golden Rose 3 (1993), The Cave of the Golden Rose 4 (1994), and Cremaster 5 (1997). Her last film role is as Madonna in St. Francis Birds Tour (2005). She joined the list of Empire magazine’s “100 Sexiest Stars in film history” in 1995. Andress sold her Beverly Hills home in 2017 and has lived in Rome and Gstaad to be close to her family since 2022.
Ursula Andress’s Love Life Has Been a Rollercoaster Affair
Ursula Andress has been in many romantic relationships since she burst into the spotlight. After losing her virginity to French actor Daniel Gélin at age 17, Andress moved to the United States in 1955 and dated American actors Dennis Hopper and James Dean the same year. Andress also had an affair with actor/director John Derek in 1955. The married father of two left his family to focus on his affair with the then 19-year-old Andress.
On February 2, 1957, Ursula Andress and Derek got married in Las Vegas. However, the marriage crashed in 1964 and they officially divorced in 1966 following Andress’s affair with Ron Ely, her costar in Once Before I Die. While she was separated from Derek, Andress dated actors John Richardson and Marcello Mastroianni, whom she met on the sets of She and The 10th Victim. She co-habited with French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo from 1965 to 1972 and Italian actor Fabio Testi from 1973 to 1977.
After meeting her Clash of the Titans co-star Harry Hamlin, Ursula Andress moved in with him in 1979. They welcomed a son, Dimitri Alexander Hamlin on May 19, 1980. Though engaged, Andress and Hamlin never married. They broke up in 1983. Other men Andress notably dated include Ryan O’Neal, John Delorean, Helmut Berger, Julio Iglesias, Johnny Dorelli, Franco Nero, Gerardo Amato, Paulo Roberto Falcão, Nels Van Patten, Ricci Martin, and Jeff Speakman. Find out what happened to the “spectre” of the franchise’s Bond girls.
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