“Slumdog Millionaire” thrust Freida Pinto into the spotlight. Since the film was nominated for (and then won) a million awards, she’s attended every major awards show, been scrutinized by the press for her clothing choices, had her relationship with Dev Patel speculated about in the tabloids, and sat in the front row at fashion shows in Milan. What’s next for the Mumbai-born rising star? Possibly a role in the next James Bond film. Rumor has it that Pinto has been asked by the film’s producer to do a screen test with Daniel Craig. Sure, being James Bond’s love interest sounds pretty sexy, but being a Bond girl isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. After the jump, a look at past Bond girls’ careers, post-007.
The original Bond girl, Ursula Andress, won the Golden Globe for most promising female newcomer in 1962 for her performance in “Dr. No.” Sadly, we’ve never heard of the films or TV shows she was on after that. Well, except for “Love Boat.”
Playing Christmas Jones in “The World Is Not Enough” might have been the high point in Denise Richards‘ career unless she wins the upcoming season of “Dancing with the Stars.”
Sure, Halle Berry has had a great deal of success since appearing as Jinx in “Die Another Day,” but she had already won an Oscar for “Monster’s Ball” at that point. She was such a big star that she was even pictured on the “Die Another Day” poster alongside Pierce Brosnan.
Since her turn as Vesper Lynd in “Casino Royale,” Eva Green hasn’t appeared in any American films, except to lend her voice to “Quantum of Solace.” She has filmed two movies in Europe, though, which seems to be a popular route for former Bond girls, especially since they’re often European beauties.
It’s still too early to tell how Gemma Arterton‘s career will fare after her role in “Quantum of Solace,” but I enjoyed her in the PBS miniseries “Tess of the d’Urbervilles.” This year, she’s set to appear in movies with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Ben Kinglsey. Not bad for a Bond girl known as Strawberry Fields.
