Akiko Wakabayashi was a known actress in Japan in the 50s and 60s. Her breakthrough came when she was cast to play a minor role in the 1962 film, You Only Live Twice, but after her acting was much better than producers had expected, they gave her a larger role.
She played Aki and became the first non-European Bond girl in the series. After the film, Akiko retired from acting.
Maud Adams
Producers of Bond films are apt to shift the profile of a Bond girl every so often. They originally used European models and actresses, then switched things up to American-born leading Bond ladies. Maud Adams, a Swedish-born Actress, brought the Bond girl back to her European roots. She held two roles in the Bond series, once in 1974’s The Man with the Golden Gun, when she played Andrea Anders.
Her role as the doomed mistress of the villain propelled Adams to international fame. The second role came in 1983, when she played the title role, Octopussy. Adams has said that although being a Bond girl may not indicate continued success, the fact that you are a Bond girl is, in itself, special.
Daniela Bianchi
Bianchi was born in Rome, Italy. Prior to playing one of the Bond girls, she was a model and the first runner-up in the 1960 Miss Universe pageant. This led her to land several film roles in Italy and France. She finally had her career breakthrough when she starred alongside Eunice Grayson, in From Russia With Love, playing the role of Tatiana Romanova.
Her voice was dubbed due to her heavy accent. She retired from acting long ago, in 1970, but will forever be remembered for her role in the Bond film.
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is, without a doubt, one of the most successful Bond girls in the entire series. She has had a career that has spanned years. She moved to the United States from Jamaica when she was just 13 years old. She started her career as a model at a young age, worked for fashion houses like Yves St. Lauren and Kenzo, and landed covers for Elle and Vogue, among other brands.
She then transitioned into a music and acting career. In the ’70s and ’80s, she appeared in some low-budget films in the U.S. In 1984, she landed her first mainstream performance when she starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, in Conan the Destroyer. Her fame as a Bond girl came in 1985, in A View to Kill. The iconic Jones broke the mold of the typical Bond girl, who is usually small, blonde, and white. For this reason, Jones is one of the more memorable women to fill this role.
Talisa Soto
Talisa grew up in Brooklyn, NY in a Puerto Rican family. After landing the role of Lupe Lamora in 1989, opposite James Bond, in Licence to Kill, she was catapulted into a life of fame.
She is most recognized for playing Princess Kitana in the 1995 fantasy action film, Mortal Kombat, and the 1997 sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. These days she’s married to actor Benjamin Bratt.