||Age Group: 45-65 years old||
Barbara Bach, the iconic Bond girl Triple X, didn’t need saving from the spy who charmed her. Instead, she was on the lookout for her rock and roll hero, Sir Richard Starkey, famously known as Ringo Starr. At the peak of her career, the 75-year-old Bach, a model and actor, played the love interest and potential rival of Roger Moore’s womanizing 007 agent, James Bond, in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me.
Bach once described Bond as “a chauvinist pig who uses girls to shield him against bullets,” a sentiment shared by Moore himself, who admitted to being a “male chauvinist pig” like his character. But Bach’s portrayal as a Bond girl solidified her status as a fan favorite and propelled her acting career forward.
Before her memorable role in The Spy Who Loved Me, Bach made appearances in Italian films. One notable film was Black Belly of the Tarantula in 1971, where she starred alongside other Bond Girls, Claudine Auger from Thunderball (1965) and Barbara Bouchet from Casino Royale (1967).
Bach’s journey from Hollywood to love took an unexpected turn during the filming of the 1981 comedy Caveman, where she starred alongside Dennis Quaid, Shelley Long, and the now 82-year-old Ringo Starr. In the movie, Starr played a lustful Neanderthal who ultimately chose a different partner over Bach’s character, Lana. However, reality differed from the onscreen depiction.
Bach and Starr first crossed paths on their way to the filming location in Mexico. Initially, their relationship was purely friendly, with each having their own circle of friends. However, during the final week of filming, their connection transcended friendship, and their love story began.
Reflecting on their meeting, Starr professed his adoration for Bach, saying, “I adore the female. Since the day I spotted her at LAX in 1980, I have adored her. We happened to be heading to Mexico for the same movie — she was at the airport with a boyfriend, and I was checking in. And that’s exactly what transpired,” he enthused. “All I can say is that I’m grateful that she’s in my life.”
Since their wedding in 1981, Ringo Starr, the beloved drummer of The Beatles, and Barbara Bach, the former Bond girl, have been inseparable. With Starr having three children from his previous marriage and Bach having two from her former husband, their blended family stands as a testament to their enduring bond.
Love truly knows no bounds, and for Barbara Bach and Ringo Starr, their Hollywood love story has proven that sometimes, all you need is love.
