The 10 Best James Bond 'Girls' Ranked

For as long as there has been James Bond, there has been the James Bond "girl." And for as long as there has been the James Bond "girl," there have been people rightfully noting that this descriptor is a bit demeaning. After all, these character are women and should be treated accordingly. 

And the James Bond "woman" has run the gamut over the years. People have rightfully called out the franchise over the decades for its often shallow, childish sexism, teaming up Agent 007 with bimbos bearing ridiculous names. The laziest films in the series reduce the female co-stars to shallow eye candy, existing to be impressed by Bond and to be rescued in the climax. But we can't ignore the movies that get it right. For every film that gets the Bond woman wrong, there's one that gets it right — characters with complex motivations, intriguing backstories, wry senses of humor, and skills that get James himself out of dangerous jams. And as the franchise sprinted into the 21st century, the women of the James Bond series became more consistent, and more consistently interesting. 

When /Film's James Bond braintrust sat down to create this list of the greatest women in the franchise, we had only a few rules. The character had to be an ally, not a villain (let's save those characters for a future list). And while the dynamic between the character and Bond didn't have to be romantic, it had to suggest a real connection of some kind (one scene love interests not allowed!). From there, it became a simple question of quality. Which characters stood out to us? Which ones linger in our minds? 

And while there was plenty of discussion, we'll say this much: The vote for the number one choice was unanimous. 

"Dr. No" may have been the movie that first brought James Bond to life on the big screen, but "From Russia With Love" improved upon the formula laid out in that movie in just about every conceivable way. From cool gadgets to that epic train fight, this remains one of the Best "Bond" films to date. Even so, for whatever reason, it feels a little like Tatiana Romanova doesn't quite get the respect she deserves within the Bond canon. Played by Daniela Bianchi, Tatiana unquestionably deserves respect as one of the best parts of an excellent film.

So many concepts that would become reused in later films were executed first by Tatiana in this film, including her being an antagonist who is seduced by 007 and ends up falling in love with him. She also ends up being a one-and-done (as most Bond girls are) despite the fact that Bond seems to have a genuine connection with her. So much of what we would come to associate with later Bond women flows through Tatiana. And as far as introductions go, her slipping under Bond's sheets in nothing but a black lace choker is certainly up there. Bold, beautiful, and centered on a damn fine performance, a great movie is made even better by Tatiana's presence. If that isn't the mark of a great Bond woman, I don't know what is. (Ryan Scott)

The problem with Halle Berry's Jinx is that she's the bright spot in an otherwise terrible, rotten, no-good movie. You'll find very few James Bond fans willing to defend "Die Another Day," one of the low points in the franchise, but Berry understands the assignment in a way that virtually everyone else in the movie does not. Scripted to be Bond's equal in virtually every way, she's tough, feisty, in firm control of her sexuality, and wryly funny, sinking her teeth into every ridiculous line of dialogue the script puts in her mouth. If Jinx was in a better movie, her inclusion on this list wouldn't be a controversial choice. If Halle Berry had been given a better screenplay, she would've worked greater wonders.

But for now, she gets to sit here on the edge of the list, a reminder that even bad movies can have memorable characters. The 007 producers planned a Jinx spin-off film before the critical reaction to "Die Another Day" put it on ice. And that's shame. Halle Berry, and Jinx, are innocent of the film's crimes. Both deserved better. (Jacob Hall)

Like many women in the Bond movies, Jane Seymour's Solitaire in 1973's "Live and Let Die" admittedly doesn't have a ton to do. But her character, a tarot card reader who works for Mr. Big (who is eventually revealed to be Kananga, the film's main villain), has the distinction of being one of the very few in the entire franchise who possesses mystical powers. She can actually see the future — a pretty damn cool character trait, given how the Bond movies often hew much closer to our recognizable reality. Solitaire is practically a super-powered mutant ... until, of course, she's seduced by Roger Moore's Bond, loses her virginity to him, and loses her special abilities in the process. Not ideal!

Solitaire may be slightly naive, but Jane Seymour makes her memorable. Aside from her striking appearance and killer wardrobe — a prerequisite for all Bond women — she's giving a real performance instead of just modeling her way through the movie. When Solitaire first meets Bond, it's on her turf, and she has the upper hand. The secret agent turns over a "fool" tarot card, and she gets in a good dig at him: "You've found yourself." But when he turns over a "lovers" card a minute later, implying the two of them will sleep together, the shock that ripples across Seymour's face is palpable. Solitaire isn't the most substantial of Bond's companions, but thanks to Seymour, she stands out. (Ben Pearson)

The James Bond franchise was way ahead of the curve on the whole Michelle Yeoh thing. Decades before she would take home the Academy Award for Best Actress for her stunning work in "Everything Everywhere All At Once," Yeoh was only known to aficionados of Hong Kong action films, where she was a leading badass in a small but impressive pond. But that was apparently enough to put her in the co-pilot seat on "Tomorrow Never Dies," one of the more underrated Pierce Brosnan 007 adventures, and a film that makes excellent use of her skills. Her slick, dynamic ass-kicking complements Brosnan's tech-driven take on Bond well and she is consistently presented as his equal in every way that matters. Their attraction is less inherently romantic, and more about two consummate professionals who respect and admire each other for being exceptionally good at their line of work.

These days, everyone loves Michelle Yeoh. Because someone this talented, this cool, was always bound to gain international accolades. But in 1997? Before the mainstream world had caught on? All power to Wai Lin, and to Yeoh, who seized the moment and delivered the goods. (Jacob Hall)

Barbara Bach's Anya Amasova is undoubtedly one of the most capable women Bond ever encounters. A spy herself (codename: Triple X), she's one of the few female characters who proves to be Bond's equal, both physically and intellectually. She's after the same MacGuffin he is throughout the story, and she bests him at several turns.

Frankly, she deserves the KGB's highest award for not straight-up murdering Bond during the scene where he is obnoxiously critiquing her driving. As steel-toothed henchman Jaws is literally tearing their van apart with them inside it, Anya tries to drive away, crunching the gears and being occasionally thwarted by Jaws lifting the back tires off the ground. All the while, Bond fires off condescending lines like, "Let's try reverse. That's backwards" and "Women drivers" with a sh*t-eating grin on his face. (No thanks to Bond, Anya eventually crushes Jaws with the van and buys enough time to escape.)

Despite Bond's boorish behavior (or, I suppose, because of it), she inevitably falls for our hero anyway and reneges on her promise to kill him after their mission is over as a way to avenge her dead lover, whom Bond kills in the opening scene. Too bad. I would have gladly watched a series of spin-off movies about this character, traveling the world and going on her own spy adventures. (Ben Pearson)

Appearing in 1964's "Goldfinger," the late Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore was, unfortunately, the first Bond woman to have an outright ridiculous name. Honey Ryder from "Dr. No" might have conveyed a certain sexuality, but it wasn't anywhere near as on the nose as "Pussy Galore." Which is a shame because Blackman's character was anything but a novelty.

One of the first of Bond's female companions who could truly match 007's intellect, confidence, and mettle, Blackman's pilot and all-round badass remains legendary for representing a fully-empowered woman at a time when the Bond franchise wasn't exactly known for that sort of thing. Not only does Ms. Galore get the best of Bond when she catches him spying on Goldfinger, she also leads a whole brigade of female pilots in their (fake) chemical attack, and remains entirely unphased by Bond's charms — up until that uncomfortable barn scene, that is. Even when she does succumb to Sean Connery's spy, she never loses her sense of self-confidence.

Though she wasn't the first Bond woman, Pussy Galore was among the first to demonstrate that female characters in the 007 franchise could be more than "disposable pleasures," to quote Eva Green's Vesper Lynd from "Casino Royale." In fact, Connery's Bond couldn't have saved the day without her. (Joe Roberts)

The word "iconic" is arguably over-used, but if there is a single Bond woman that is deserving of that moniker, it is unquestionably Honey Ryder. Played by Ursula Andress, she introduced the world to what it means when we say the phrase "Bond girl" when she appeared on the beach in "Dr. No." From the very moment that Sean Connery's 007 spots Honey on the beach in that legendary bikini, there was no turning back. She was rightfully immortalized in the records of cinema history and remains a timeless depiction of everything we look for in a character like this. But more than just a beautiful woman for Bond to fawn over, Honey had determination and a deadly side to her. It's no wonder Bond (and the world at large) fell in love with her so immediately.

It's not a stretch to say that the James Bond franchise may not be what it is today without Andress' portrayal of Honey Ryder. Yes, Connery is owed all the credit in the world, as is director Terence Young for turning "Dr. No" into a franchise-making hit. But Bond women have been a staple of this series ever since, and Honey set the tone for everything that would follow. It was and remains a lot to live up to. (Ryan Scott)

"Skyfall" is an utterly fascinating entry within the canon of the James Bond franchise. Not only is it the highest-grossing entry in a series of films that has been around for more than 60 years, but it's also one that offers major twists on many archetypes that have been associated with Bond for years. There is no traditional, main Bond woman in the film, as Moneypenny never quite crosses that line (despite showcasing strong chemistry with our main guy), and Severine sadly doesn't live long enough to steal the whole show. In an odd yet very satisfying way, it is Judi Dench's M who actually serves functionally as the main Bond woman in Daniel Craig's third outing as the legendary MI6 spy.

More than any of the other Bond actors, Craig's tenure in the role was heavily serialized. By the time we got to "Skyfall," there was an idea that M and Bond had been through the wringer together for years. She fought for him as one of her most trusted men, and he fought for her because he respected her as a leader. There is no overt romance between them, but M and Bond undeniably feel romantic about one another in a certain way. There is a specific kind of romance to their scenes in the film, such as when M is reciting a poem by Tennyson while Bond runs through the streets of London to save her.

M serves every function of a Bond woman in this film, only she never reduces herself to sleeping with him. The meaningful connection they share, which concludes in tragedy, allows this relationship to rise above the typical one shared by Bond and most of the women he's had the pleasure of being with over the years. Setting any semantics aside, it's hard to argue against the impact of this relationship. (Ryan Scott)

One really needs only three words to explain why Contessa Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo is so special: Dame Diana Rigg. The actress brought a level of emotional complexity to the "Bond girl" that had not been seen before, and she's one of the few women in the entire franchise who feels like an actual human being instead of a collection of tropes. Rigg runs the gamut of emotions in this movie, from extreme desperation to a joyous lust for life, and every single move she makes feels natural and organic to the story. She also happens to be an absolutely killer driver (remember when she basically wins a rally car race in the middle of an escape late in the movie?).

Unfortunately, her most memorable moment in a car comes at the very end of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." After being the first woman to marry James Bond (!), she's gunned down in a drive-by shooting by Blofeld and Irma Bunt in the closing moments of the film. It's one of the most gut-punching, devastating endings of any 20th century action movie.

You may have read about a theory suggesting that "James Bond" is simply a codename, which would allow for an explanation of why his appearance changes over different time periods as different actors play him. But Tracy's death shatters that theory. Her loss is felt throughout the rest of the franchise; Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton's Bonds visibly react to mentions of his wife's death, and Moore even lays flowers at Tracy's gravestone in "For Your Eyes Only." That's how important this character is: James may love his vodka martinis "shaken, not stirred," but Tracy Bond is the one thing he can't ever shake. (Ben Pearson)

The moment Eva Green's Vesper Lynd meets Daniel Craig's Bond, "Casino Royale" goes from good to great. Sure, the pair's train rendezvous is helped greatly by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis' sharp writing (and this from two of the guys who brought us "Die Another Day"), but Green's performance and her chemistry with Craig makes this one of the most quietly electric scenes in Bond history.

Vesper's appraisal of Bond as a "former SAS type" with an "easy smile" and "expensive watch" is brilliant. But it's the line about how Bond wears his tailored attire with "such disdain" that immediately establishes Vesper as the sharpest, most formidable woman 007 has ever encountered. Bond has faced confident women before, and you'll often hear that a certain female character is "every bit Bond's equal," but until Vesper arrives and systematically dismantles Craig's tortured spy, he'd never truly met his match.

Not only does this make it all the more believable when 007 eventually falls in love with Vesper, it so perfectly propels the central conceit of the movie, i.e. deconstructing Bond and putting him back together again for a new age of the franchise. Vesper might well betray her new love by the film's end, but none of their prior interactions are any less affecting or believable as a result. Never has a James Bond film featured such an emotionally resonant relationship, and Green's character, performance, and her chemistry with Craig was the key. (Joe Roberts)

This list was created by assembling /Film's James Bond experts in one place for a free-ranging discussion about the women of the franchise, culminating in each contributor submitting their own personal top 10 list of characters. Those lists were merged into one larger list, with characters with widespread support making it onto the final list automatically. The others were determined through debate. The completed list was created by each contributor personally ranking their choices for the final 10 in a private ballot, which were then used to determine the final ranking.