“There have always been sensitivities involved”: why ‘Bond girl’ Nikki van der Zyl was blacklisted by Hollywood
As every actor who has played the iconic secret agent can attest, the shadow of James Bond can linger for an entire career.
Sean Connery grew to despise the fact he was always associated with 007 first and foremost, although that stance gradually softened. Everyone to follow in his wake and inherit the mantle has since gone in completely aware that they’re going to spend the rest of their lives being asked about it, which is a minor side effect compared to the fates that have befallen some of the franchise’s female stars.
The ‘Bond girl’ curse has some serious credence to it, with more than one actor admitting the decision to play a prominent role and/or serve as the suave spy’s love interest did more harm than good to their prospects in the long run. For one of them, she’s both the most unsung ‘Bond girl’ of all and one that was quietly pushed out of Hollywood altogether.
Nikki van der Zyl may have never appeared onscreen in a Bond movie, but she’s been in more of them than any other woman outside of longtime Moneypenny, Lois Maxwell. Although she was an actor first or foremost, her lasting contributions to the 007 canon came in the recording booth.
She was in Dr No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, and Moonraker, dubbing memorable characters like Ursula Andress’ Honey Ryder, Jane Seymour’s Solitaire, and Claudine Auger’s Domino.
Andress won a Golden Globe for ‘Most Promising Newcomer – Female’ in Dr No, even though it was van der Zyl who provided the vocals. Speaking to Maria Raposo, she posed a very pertinent question. “I was the first girl ever to speak in a Bond film,” she said. “Why didn’t I win?”
And yet, despite being hired for ten Bond flicks in total, the people responsible for them refused to acknowledge her. She was barred from attending an event celebrating Goldfinger so that she wouldn’t cause embarrassment for Shirley Eaton, who van der Zyl dubbed as Jill Masterson.
She voiced her dissatisfaction, only for her invitation to a convention celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Bond series to be withdrawn in response. The organisers sent her a letter that claimed “there have always been sensitivities involved with the actors in the series who were dubbed,” which is easily interpreted as the stars being unwilling to let van der Zyl take even the slightest hint of the spotlight even though she performed the majority of their dialogue.
Even when she wrote her autobiography For Your Ears Only, the memoir originally featured a foreword penned by Roger Moore. However, shortly before publication, she was denied permission to use it and wasn’t even given an explanation as to why.
Moonraker would be her final contribution to Bond before she retired from acting altogether and qualified as a barrister, leaving her as an integral part of the franchise that’s been almost completely swept under the rug.
