A Farewell to Joanna Pettet

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Joanna Pettet was a distinctive presence of 1960s and 1970s cinema and television whose combination of intelligence, beauty and quiet strength made her instantly memorable.

For me, she will forever be remembered as Mata Bond in the wonderfully chaotic 1967 version of Casino Royale. In a film overflowing with stars, jokes, colour and madness, Pettet still managed to stand out. Playing the daughter of James Bond and Mata Hari, she brought a playful charm and elegance to a movie that was deliberately pulling apart the spy genre at the height of Bond mania.

Joanna Pettet

Casino Royale was famously an chaotic production featuring an incredible cast including David Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Orson Welles, Woody Allen and Deborah Kerr. Among all those larger-than-life personalities, Pettet’s Mata Bond provided one of the film’s most memorable creations, stylish, mysterious and fun. She felt like she belonged in that strange universe where spy adventure met psychedelic ’60s pop art.

Born Joanna Jane Salmon in London in 1942, Pettet appeared in films including Robbery (1967), Blue (1968) and the epic wartime drama The Night of the Generals (1967).

Joanna Pettet

One performance that always stuck with me was seeing her opposite William Shatner in Pioneers (1973). While Shatner brought his familiar intensity and charisma, Pettet gave the story its emotional foundation. Her performance captured the determination and vulnerability of frontier life, showing that she was far more than just another glamorous face from the ’60s. She could carry drama, adventure and emotion with ease.

Reading about her experiences, her life away from the camera also intersected with some of Hollywood’s most famous and tragic stories. She was close friends with actress Sharon Tate and was among those who had spent time with her shortly before Tate’s murder in 1969. She would eventually move away from acting, leaving behind a career filled with fascinating choices rather than chasing constant fame.

Rest in peace, Joanna Pettet — a true screen original.