There are few film franchises as significant as the James Bond movies. Moviegoers were brought up on the franchise, which include some of the best action/adventure movies of all time. Prior to Daniel Craig’s Bond movies we were treated to four titles starring Pierce Brosnan. It all started with the pivotal blockbuster Goldeneye, although Famke Janssen admitted she broke her ribs while filming some fight scenes opposite the Mammia Mia! actor.
Goldeneye is a beloved installment of the franchise, which introduced Brosnan to the fans and inspired a wildly successful video game adaptation. During an appearance at the Mediterranean Film Festival (via THR) Janssen got real about getting injured when facing off against 007 in a bathhouse. As she put it:
I did break my ribs during that scene, by the way. The walls were padded, and Pierce was meant to throw me against the wall. I told him, ‘Pierce, it’s so hard to act out this pain so just throw me against the wall.’ He said, ‘No, no, no. I don’t want to hurt you.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry about it, the walls are padded.’ Famous last words.
Yikes. While this is one of the most memorable scenes in Goldeneye, Xenia and James’ steamy fight scene came at a cost. Namely by the X-Men actress breaking multiple ribs. This shows just how dangerous movie sets can be, despite measures being put in place for actors’ safety.
Famke Janssen previously revealed how she felt thrown to the wolves after Goldeneye, thanks to her relationship with the press. But there was also a physical toll to her iconic 007 performance. She went on to share how painful the injury was at the time, offering:
I couldn’t speak at that point. They had to stop filming for a moment because they didn’t know what was going on. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t learn, by the way, until I came back to New York — we shot for six months — that I had broke a rib. We just continued filming. They didn’t know.
That certainly sounds like a difficult way to work, and also shows the gritty truth of being in the film industry. While being a movie star is a dream for many, it can sometimes come at a great physical expense. That was the case for Janssen, who filmed Goldeneye for months after breaking her ribs. Regardless, the performance is truly iconic.
Goldeneye is a beloved chapter in the 007 franchise, and all eyes are on what director Denis Villeneuve will behind the camera for the upcoming 26th movie. But since that mysterious project isn’t on the 2026 movie release list, fans will have to practice some patience while continuing to wait for more info.
