Pour Out a Martini for Pussy Galore

Actress Honor Blackman, famed for playing Pussy Galore in the James Bond classic Goldfinger, has died at the age of 94, according to a report by BBC. Blackman’s family released a statement that she died of natural causes in her East Sussex home unrelated to the coronavirus. Aside from her role, Blackman starred in The Avengers series in the 1960s continuing her career across the decades with appearances in Colombo and Doctor Who. Her latest project was a UK tour of her show Honor Blackman As Herself. Blackman is survived by her two children and four grandchildren.

While Blackman will be remembered most by film lovers for her iconic portrayal of Pussy Galore, it wasn’t just her acting chops and good looks that landed her the role. According to The Guardian, Blackman’s skill in martial arts, which she developed while working on The Avengers, made her a perfect fit for Galore, the original pussy who grabbed back.

Before the rise in popularity of villains-as-heroes-but-angry, Pussy Galore made plotting and double-crossing seem like a fun way to spend one’s time. Her short blonde bob and monochromatic ensembles (who can forget that lavender number from the barn) added a special flair to her attempts at throwing Bond off the trail of Goldfinger’s plot to rob Fort Knox. Of all the women who have been “Bond girls” over the years, few have been able to match the glamour and appeal of Pussy Galore. The loss of Blackman who gave us the ass-kicking, gun-toting wonder of Ms. Galore marks the end of an era.