The ’70s Bond Girl | Source: Getty Images
In an attempt to preserve her youthful looks, this 1970s Bond Girl underwent a cosmetic procedure she hoped would enhance her appearance. Instead, the experience turned into a nightmare, leaving her disfigured and regretful.
This actress rose to fame for her beauty, transitioning from modeling to acting and becoming one of the most photographed women of her time. But her life took a dramatic turn after a cosmetic procedure meant to preserve her youth left part of her face permanently altered.
The well-known Bond Girl photographed in the 1960s. | Source: Getty Images
The devastating experience forced her to step away from appearing in front of the camera and brought her under horrible public scrutiny. Take a closer look at her life over the years, the botched procedure that left her traumatized, and see what she looks like now at 82.
The famous actress circa 1964. | Source: Getty Images
A Life in the Spotlight
This actress’s rise to fame began as a teenager, appearing in chewing gum advertisements and modeling. These modest beginnings paved the way for her to become one of the most photographed women of the 1970s.
The beautiful model-turned-actress photographed in the 1970s. | Source: Getty Images
Her undeniable beauty and elegance captured the attention of Hollywood, propelling her into stardom. Her breakthrough role came as a Bond Girl alongside
Roger Moore
in “The Man with the Golden Gun,” solidifying her place among the most glamorous stars of her era.
The actress and Roger Moore on the set of “The Man With The Golden Gun” in 1974. | Source: Getty Images
Beyond her
on-screen success
, the actress’s personal life often made headlines. She had high-profile romances, including her most talked-about relationship with actor and
director Peter
Sellers, who was 17 years her senior.
The famous Bond Girl and Peter Sellers photographed in their home on May 12, 1964. | Source: Getty images
Their whirlwind romance began in January 1964 after Sellers spotted her photograph in a newspaper and sent his valet to deliver a message.
“I thought that I would like to meet what I saw,” Sellers later
admitted
. The couple married just ten days after their first date. However, behind the scenes, their relationship was far from perfect.
Peter Sellers and the famous actress circa 1964. | Source: Getty images
In a 2016 appearance on “Loose Women,” the former Bond Girl revealed the darker side of their marriage. “I was really his little toy,” she
confessed
, adding, “He decided my life.”
According to
her, Sellers, known for his mercurial nature, was “very possessive and very, very moody,” often threatening her with divorce and then just as suddenly reconciling.
Peter Sellers and his actress wife circa 1965. | Source: Getty Images
His fits of jealousy added strain to their relationship. While “The Man with the Golden Gun” star emphasized that the abuse was never physical, she would have left soon.
“I know that sounds horrible. [But] I’m just being practical,” she
admitted
. She stopped short of outright labeling the relationship abusive but
described
it as “emotional and psychological warfare.”
Peter Sellers and his much younger wife photographed in the 1960s. | Source: Getty Images
She later endured more pain with the passing of her mother from Alzheimer’s disease at age 78. Her mother had been a significant support throughout her career. “Wherever I worked, she always came,” the actress fondly
recalled
.
The actress filming “Baxter” in 1973. | Source: Getty Images
While the loss deeply affecting her, she briefly sought mental health treatment, discontinuing antidepressants after a few days. “I am so used to taking care of myself, I don’t need anyone to do anything for me,” she
said
.
The model-turned-actress circa 1973. | Source: Getty Images
Her second marriage to a much younger Stray Cats
drummer
, Slim Jim Phantom, drew attention due to their over 17-year age gap. The couple wed in 1984 but separated after eight years in 1992.
Throughout her life, the actress found joy in raising her three children. Her eldest child, daughter Victoria Sellers, born in 1965, made her mark in Hollywood as an
actress
, landing roles in films such as “Warlords” and “Inevitable Grace.”
The famous Bond Girl and her daughter photographed at Heathrow Airport on December 21, 1968, in England. | Source: Getty Images
Her eldest son and second child, Nic Adler, born in 1973 to her and Slim Jim Phantom, pursued a
career
in entertainment and launched a
podcast
that delves into creating awareness with medical experts and families for adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) — a rare genetic condition.
Her second son and youngest child, T.J. McDonnell, born in 1988 to the actress and her third husband Peter McDonnell, also followed his mother’s footsteps into the
film industry
.
Despite her professional accomplishments and fulfilling family life, the pressures of maintaining her image in a beauty-obsessed industry would lead her down a difficult path. What followed was a journey marked by drastic choices and public reflection, shaping the next chapter of her life.
The famous actress circa 1985. | Source: Getty Images
A Cosmetic Nightmare
Britt Ekland’s story took a harrowing turn in the 1990s when, in her fifties, she decided to undergo a cosmetic procedure in Paris. What she expected to be a moderate enhancement turned into a traumatic experience that left her with lifelong consequences.
Britt Ekland circa 1995. | Source: Getty Images
Ekland had made the appointment through a reputable consultancy on Harley Street, hoping for a minor lip-plumping procedure. The Paris-based doctor injected Articol, a first-generation filler made from bovine collagen, around the rim of her lips.
Britt Ekland circa 1999. | Source: Getty Images
According to
reports
, promoted as a “new dental material,” Articol was risky, with permanent effects. Wendy Lewis, a cosmetic surgery consultant, revealed that the filler was briefly popular in the 1990s but is now rarely used and was never approved in the U.S.
Britt Ekland circa 2000. | Source: Getty Images
Reflecting on the experience during an
interview
, Ekland shared that the doctor “destroyed” her face and claimed she was used as “some sort of experiment.” The immediate results were devastating, forcing her to live with relentless public scrutiny.
Britt Ekland at the 2003 Galacticon event celebrating the 25th Anniversary of “Battlestar Galactica.” | Source: Getty Images
“For a very long time, I couldn’t really do television or films,” she
admitted
, as opposed to theater, where the distance between her and the audience allowed her some respite. Still, the ordeal left her scarred — both physically and emotionally.
Britt Ekland at “The Late Late Show” on January 12, 2007, in Dublin, Ireland. | Source: Getty Images
Attempts to correct the botched procedure were equally grueling. She
described
the efforts to “try to melt the stuff” in her lips as “excruciatingly painful.” The corrections were only partially successful, and Ekland continues to receive negative comments about her appearance.
Britt Ekland at theThe Edinburgh Film Festival on June 16, 2010, in Scotland. | Source: Getty Images
“Oh dear, she used to be so attractive. Other women thinking about cosmetic procedures should think again!”
one social media user
commented
about the actress. Another
shared
,
“What a mess! She was so pretty back in the day. She ruined herself.”
Britt Ekland at the UK premiere of “Spectre” in London, England, in 2015. | Source: Getty Images
A third person
typed
,
“She was breathtakingly beautiful back in the day. Absolutely stunning. Such a shame, don’t mess with your face!”
and a fourth
remarked
,
“She was so lovely in her younger day — unrecognisable now [sic]…”
Britt Ekland at the “In Conversation With Malcolm McDowell” event on April 5, 2019, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Another person
wrote
,
“She was breathtakingly beautiful back in the day. What a shame to have ruined it through unnecessary work”
and a sixth
shared
,
“Jesus, what has she done to herself? That photograph would fit in any horror display.”
“To all the people who say, ‘She’s destroyed her face,’ yes! I didn’t do that purposely. I don’t want to look like this, but I have no choice. I’ve learned to live with it, so you’d better learn to live with it,” the actress
said
with candor back in 2020.
In hindsight, she expressed regret for her decision to undergo cosmetic surgery. She emphasized feeling content aging naturally, adding that while she underwent cosmetic procedures in her 50s, she had no interest in doing it again.
“[…] Getting older happens to everyone. It’s pointless complaining about it or wishing you could change,” she
stated
in 2021. The actress once advocated for cosmetic surgery for women over 40, but her perspective shifted after her traumatic experience.
She encourages embracing natural aging,
sharing
, “It’s not really until today, when I’m a really old woman, that I can see, ‘I’m satisfied. I like myself.'”
Beyond her personal journey, Ekland also faced heartache within her family. Her grandson Lucas, born to her son Nic, was diagnosed with ALD. Although devastating, early diagnosis allowed for timely intervention, giving Lucas a fighting chance.
“It was a huge shock. Lucas is such a wild thing, like a little typhoon, and it was so difficult to come to terms with the fact that such a beautiful, entertaining, lovely little boy was facing something so dreadful,” she
said
.
Ekland has since become an advocate for newborn screening, campaigning for the UK to add ALD testing to its standard procedures, “So that all these boys have a future,” she
explained
.
Ekland’s resilience shines through her reflections on life. While the consequences of her cosmetic decisions remain, her journey from regret to self-acceptance is a testament to her enduring strength and willingness to grow.