Barbara Bach, famously known for her role as Bond girl Triple X, wasn’t waiting for James Bond to come to her rescue; instead, she was on a quest for her own prince charming—rock legend Ringo Starr, also known as Sir Richard Starkey.
Now at the age of 77, Bach reached the zenith of her career when she starred in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, where she portrayed Anya Amasova, a complex character who was both the love interest and a rival to the charming yet womanizing 007, played by Roger Moore.
In a candid 1983 interview with People, Bach didn’t hold back her opinion about her character’s relationship with Bond, referring to him as “a chauvinist pig who uses girls to shield him against bullets”. Moore himself agreed, stating in a 1973 People interview: “Bond, like myself, is a male chauvinist pig. All my life I’ve been trying to get women out of brassieres and pants”.
Before landing her iconic role in the Bond franchise, Bach had appeared in several Italian films, including Black Belly of the Tarantula, where she shared the screen with fellow Bond actresses Claudine Auger and Barbara Bouchet.
Bach’s portrayal of the KGB agent Anya Amasova not only solidified her status as a beloved Bond girl but also opened doors to numerous opportunities in her acting career. Following her Bond debut, she starred in Mad Magazine Presents Up the Academy (1980) and Caveman (1981), where she worked alongside Ringo Starr, who played a Neanderthal vying for her affections. Interestingly, the movie’s script contrasted sharply with their actual relationship, as they only became romantically involved towards the end of filming.
In a revealing Playboy feature from 1981, Bach noted: “A lot of garbage has been written about us, none of it interesting. The truth is, we weren’t together until the very end of Caveman. Working, we got along fine, but we each had other people, our respective friends. Then, all of a sudden, within a week—the last week of shooting—it just happened. We changed from friendly love to being in love”.
In a 2021 interview with the Irish Examiner, Starr reminisced about their first encounter at Los Angeles International Airport in 1980. “I love the woman. I loved her from when I first saw her at LAX”, he shared. “I’m blessed she’s in my life, that’s all I can ever say.”
Starr, renowned as the drummer for the legendary band The Beatles, was once part of a performance at New York’s Shea Stadium in 1965, where Bach was present. However, she revealed that she wasn’t an ardent Beatles fan, attending the concert with her sister Marjorie, a passionate follower of the band. “I liked [Bob] Dylan, Ray Charles, and the Rolling Stones”, Bach remarked in a People interview from 1981.
Bach’s sister eventually married Joe Walsh, the Eagles guitarist, who later performed with Starr in the All-Starr Band. Just months after John Lennon’s tragic death, Bach and Starr tied the knot on April 27, 1981, with notable guests including Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
Their journey together hasn’t been without challenges. Just before their wedding, the couple survived a near-fatal car accident, which prompted them to vow to stay together. Starr remarked: “We decided we wouldn’t spend any time apart. So far the longest break was five days, and that was too long. I want to live every minute with Barbara”.
The couple also took a significant step together in 1988 by entering rehab, emerging sober since then. Celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in 2021, Starr shared a nostalgic wedding photo with the caption:, “It was 40 years ago today The love of my life said yes yes yes”.
Starr and Bach’s love extends beyond their personal lives; they also have a blended family, with Starr having three children from his late wife Maureen Cox and Bach two from her former marriage to Augusto Gregorini. Together, they run the Lotus Foundation, which supports various causes, including animal welfare, substance abuse, homelessness, and cancer research. Starr donates all proceeds from his art sales to the foundation.
There’s no denying the deep affection shared between Barbara Bach and Ringo Starr, a bond that remains as strong as ever. As Bach expressed: “I love the man, and that’s it”. Starr echoed her sentiments, saying: “There’s no escape… I think I love Barbara as much (today) as I did (when we met), and I’m beyond blessed that she loves me and we’re still together”. Their inspiring love story continues to resonate, and fans eagerly anticipate what they will accomplish together in their charitable endeavors and personal lives.
15 Times People Got the Best When They Least Expected It
Sometimes life spoils us with a fantastic gift without giving us any hints beforehand. Some people think these unexpected events are just lucky coincidences, while others believe that the universe has waited for the right time to reward us for a good deed we’ve done in the past. Either way, it is always a blessing to get a pleasant surprise to brighten an ordinary day and add sparkles of wonder to our eyes.
Bright Side believes that days can be so exciting because a life-changing event can happen at any moment. Here are some unbelievably cool situations that were caught on camera.
1. ’’I met Jim Carrey! I never thought he’d be cool with making faces with me, but he was totally down.’’
2. ’’The hairiest, most goofy-looking llama I saw in all of Peru’’
3. ’’I did an art exchange. I made some paper art and he made me a puppet of myself! Best deal ever.’’
4. ’’My son smiled sweetly at the barista and got this hot chocolate in return.’’
5. ’’My brother drove 9 hours overnight to surprise my mom with her niece.’’
6. ’’My new security camera surprised me with a beautiful photo of a flying bird.’’
7. ’’I was looking in my mom’s college yearbook and came across a familiar face.’’
8. ’’I sent my girlfriend a postcard a few months ago. Today, she gave me a new pair of shoes.’’
9. ’’My father found my baby blanket and gave it to me for Christmas.’’
10. ’’25 years later I discovered I’m in the Notre Dame Hall of Fame because I photobombed the photo.’’
11. ’’I got lucky to get this crazy long mutant Dorito.’’
12. ’’Do you know the feeling you get when the middle seat is open next to you on a flight? I can beat that.’’
13. ’’I found this while cleaning out my grandma’s house.’’
14. ’’So I came across this guy at my sister’s graduation: Professor Sir Patrick Stewart.’’
15. ’’Since I was a kid, my mom collected everything she found in my pocket and put it in this lamp. It was her surprise for my wedding.’’
When was the last time you had a really pleasant surprise? Do you believe that some people are naturally luckier than others?
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