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Bond Girl Claudine Auger who starred opposite Sean Connery's James Bond in 'Thunderball' dies at 78

The actress, who played the role of Dominique "Domino" Derval in the classic James Bond film in 1965, died in her home city of Paris on December 19
UPDATED DEC 20, 2019
Claudine Auger, the first French Bond Girl, dies at the age of 78 (Getty Images)
Claudine Auger, the first French Bond Girl, dies at the age of 78 (Getty Images)

Former Bond girl Claudine Auger, who had starred alongside Sean Connery in the 007 film 'Thunderball', passed away at the age of 78. 

The actress, who had played the role of Dominique "Domino" Derval in the classic James Bond film, died in her home city of Paris on December 19.

Auger was born in April 1941 and had started her career as a model who represented France at the 1958 Miss World competition. She was taking acting lessons on the side and got her first break in 1962 when she acted in the Three Musketeers film 'The Iron Mask'.

However, she was able to establish herself and cement her name in the industry when she became the first-ever French Bond Girl. The trailer of the 1965 Bond film introduced her as "Young. Beautiful. Trapped. Could be dangerous."

Claudine Auger, the first French 'Bond' girl, dies at age 78 (Getty Images)

Her first appearance on screen in the film is when Bond is swimming in Nassau and she has her foot stuck in coral. At that time, she beat several other actresses such as Rachel Welch, Faye Dunaway, and Julie Christie when she was given the role. 

In the movie, her character Derval is the mistress of the film's villain Emilio Largo but she becomes enchanted by 007's charms. She eventually escapes from captivity and ends up shooting Largo with a harpoon. She and 007 then jump off his boat just before it bursts into flames during the film's finale.

Claudine Auger died at the age of 78 in Paris, France (Getty Images)

After the 1960s, Auger continued her acting career in French film and television. During a 1965 interview, she shared that starring alongside 007 or playing Moliere was "a game, the same thing".

The film 'Thunderball' was the fourth Bond film and had been set in the Bahamas giving ample opportunities for some spectacular bikini shots.

In the 1983 adaptation called 'Never Say Never Again', the role of Domino was played by American actress Kim Basinger. Before starring on the 007 film, Auger had been seen in Jean Cocteau's 'The Testament of Orpheus' in 1960.

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