Talisa grew up in Brooklyn, NY in a Puerto Rican family. After landing the role of Lupe Lamora in 1989, opposite James Bond, in Licence to Kill, she was catapulted into a life of fame.
She is most recognized for playing Princess Kitana in the 1995 fantasy action film, Mortal Kombat, and the 1997 sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. These days she’s married to actor Benjamin Bratt.
Akiko Wakabayashi
Akiko Wakabayashi was a known actress in Japan in the 50s and 60s. Her breakthrough came when she was cast to play a minor role in the 1962 film, You Only Live Twice, but after her acting was much better than producers had expected, they gave her a larger role.
She played Aki and became the first non-European Bond girl in the series. After the film, Akiko retired from acting.
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is, without a doubt, one of the most successful Bond girls in the entire series. She has had a career that has spanned years. She moved to the United States from Jamaica when she was just 13 years old. She started her career as a model at a young age, worked for fashion houses like Yves St. Lauren and Kenzo, and landed covers for Elle and Vogue, among other brands.
She then transitioned into a music and acting career. In the ’70s and ’80s, she appeared in some low-budget films in the U.S. In 1984, she landed her first mainstream performance when she starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, in Conan the Destroyer. Her fame as a Bond girl came in 1985, in A View to Kill. The iconic Jones broke the mold of the typical Bond girl, who is usually small, blonde, and white. For this reason, Jones is one of the more memorable women to fill this role.
Lynn-Holly Johnson
Many of the Bond girls grew up as aspiring models. Lynn grew up as an aspiring figure skater. At the 1974 US figure skating championship, she took home the silver medal. She eventually switched to an acting career. She was a nominee for a Golden Globe for the film Ice Castles.
Three years later, she starred as Bond girl Bibi Dahl, in For Your Eyes Only. Following her role in the Bond series, she wasn’t cast in anything much greater than that.
Gloria Hendry
Gloria Hendry became the first African-American woman to play a Bond girl in the movie series. She acted alongside Jane Seymour in Live and Let Die. She played a bold and confident take-no-prisoners CIA agent, named Rosie Carver.
Unfortunately, her role didn’t lead her to major success in the film industry, and she wasn’t able to land other roles following the film.