Best ever Bond Girls – top 10 ranked

They’ve been femme fatales, field agents, lovers, and the only characters who could truly see James Bond in another light.

Since 1962, Bond Girls have been as essential to the franchise as the gadgets, cars, and villains – often embodying the tone of their era and, sometimes, setting their own trends.

While early roles leaned heavily on glamour and danger, later characters were given more space – and more depth. From vengeance-seeking assassins to emotionally complex allies, Bond’s female counterparts evolved with the times.

In 2024, Collider ranked the 20 best Bond Girls of all time, evaluating each character’s screen presence, impact on the story, and place within the franchise’s long legacy.

Here, according to their list, are the top 10: a mix of iconic originals, modern reinventions, and a few brilliant performances that still don’t get enough credit.

10. Elektra King

Played by Sophie Marceau in The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Elektra begins as the grieving daughter of an oil tycoon, but by the climax we learn she has always been a master manipulator. She’s unique in Bond lore: not a femme fatale who turns good, but a female “Big Bad” in her own right. Marceau underplays her at first – vulnerable, almost helpless – then snaps into cold calculation. That duality gives the film extra weight.

9. Melina Havelock

Played by Carole Bouquet in For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Melina is driven by vengeance: her father was killed in Greece by a crime lord, and she traces the murder back to criminal mastermind Aristotle Kristatos. She then arms herself with a crossbow and joins Bond in a genuine two‑person mission. It’s a rare example of a Bond co‑heroine whose arc runs parallel to 007’s, rather than simply orbiting him.

8. Xenia Onatopp

Played by Famke Janssen in GoldenEye (1995)

A former Soviet fighter pilot turned henchwoman for Alec Trevelyan, Xenia is instantly memorable for her lethal obsession: crushing men to death with her thighs. She’s unapologetically sadistic, but also deeply committed to her cause. Janssen’s physicality – she actually trained in jiu‑jitsu and stunt fighting – makes every encounter feel dangerous.

7. Solitaire

Played by Jane Seymour in Live and Let Die (1973)

Introduced as Dr. Kananga’s tarot‑reading seer, Solitaire’s supernatural gift is central to the plot: she can predict the future, until her “powers” are broken by Bond. Seymour’s performance is soft‑spoken, almost ethereal, embodying the film’s flirtation with voodoo and mysticism. Though the narrative still leans on Bond’s seduction to free her, the character remains one of the franchise’s most genius creations.

6. Anya Amasova (Agent XXX)

Played by Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Anya arrives as Bond’s Soviet rival, sent to retrieve stolen British and Russian submarine codes. Their relationship begins with mutual suspicion and witty moments, gradually morphing into reluctant cooperation. Bach’s icy demeanour and athleticism (she did many of her own stunts) make Anya one of the most balanced, equal‑footed partners 007 ever had.

5. Wai Lin

Played by Michelle Yeoh in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Wai Lin is outright billed as “the real spy” – a Chinese Ministry of Defence agent who enters the story independently, foiling Bond’s plans only to team up when their goals align. Yeoh’s martial‑arts background gives every fight sequence credibility, and her character never folds into damsel-in-distress territory. She shoots her own gun, pilots a motorbike, and matches Bond’s quick thinking.

4. Honey Ryder

Played by Ursula Andress in Dr. No (1962)

The original Bond Girl, Honey Ryder’s beach‑emergence scene is iconic, but her role extends well beyond that. As a shell diver harvesting pearls, she’s resourceful, and reappears to help Bond infiltrate Dr. No’s lair and even fires the pistol that kills one of his guards. Andress’s mix of vulnerability and usefulness made Honey Ryder an early model for “Bond women” who could actually influence the story’s outcome.

3. Pussy Galore

Played by Honor Blackman in Goldfinger (1964)

Leader of an all‑female stunt/flying team, Pussy Galore is fiercely competent – and at first, entirely loyal to Auric Goldfinger’s scheme. When Bond corners her, she not only hesitates but ultimately switches sides, sabotaging Goldfinger’s plan. Blackman’s performance is filledwith wit and authority – even under Bond’s charm offensive, you sense Pussy Galore is making her own choice. That agency (leading directly to the villain’s downfall) earns her a top‑three spot according to Collider.

2. Vesper Lynd

Played by Eva Green in Casino Royale (2006)

Vesper is introduced as a Treasury operator helping Bond win back MI6’s poker stake. She’s intelligent, elegantly guarded, and carries her own emotional baggage, as her lover is being held hostage. Green’s portrayal strikes a perfect balance: she’s flirtatious without being over-the-top, distant without being cold. The devastating reveal at the end becomes the emotional cornerstone not only of Casino Royale but possibly of Daniel Craig’s entire journey as Bond.

1. Tracy Bond (Teresa di Vicenzo)

Played by Diana Rigg in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Tracy is the only woman Bond ever marries, and her introduction upends the formula: she actively resists his advances and tests his sincerity. Daughter of crime‑boss Marc-Ange Draco, she brings street smarts and vulnerability in equal measure. Tracy is played by Rigg and made into more than a romantic piece – she’s a true partner, capable and courageous. Her ending leaves Bond irrevocably changed, though, which only highlights her importance.