Daniela Bianchi is an Italian actress who is best known for her role as the Bond girl Tatiana Romanova in the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love with Sean Connery.
Born in Rome to parents from Sirolo, Marche in Central Italy, Bianchi was the first runner-up in the 1960 Miss Universe contest, where she was also voted Miss Photogenic by the press. Her film career began in 1958. In From Russia with Love her voice was dubbed by Barbara Jefford owing to Bianchi's heavy accent. Bianchi's father was an Italian Army colonel. She studied ballet for eight years, and later worked as a fashion model.
Bianchi starred in a number of French and Italian movies after From Russia with Love, the last being Scacco internazionale in 1968. One of her later films was Operation Kid Brother (also known as OK Connery and Operation Double 007), which was a James Bond spoof filmed in English (though Bianchi was again dubbed) and starring Sean Connery's brother, Neil Connery. Her only role in an American production was in the Dr. Kildare three-part story "Rome Will Never Leave You."
In 1970, Bianchi retired from acting to marry a Genoan shipping magnate, Alberto Cameli, with whom she has one son (Filippo Cameli). Her husband died in 2018.
In 2012, Bianchi appeared in a small role in the documentary film We're Nothing Like James Bond.
Trivia[]
- Bianchi was the 1st runner-up in the 1960 Miss Universe contest, where she was also voted Miss Photogenic by the press. Two other Beauty Queens, Martine Beswick and Aliza Gur, also appear in From Russia with Love.
- In From Russia with Love, Bianchi's voice was dubbed by Barbara Jefford.
- At age 21, Bianchi was the youngest actress to play a Bond girl until Alison Doody played Jenny Flex at age 18 in A View to a Kill. Bianchi remains the youngest actress to play a "leading" Bond girl.
- One of Bianchi's later films was O.K. Connery (also known as Operation Kid Brother and Operation Double 007), which was a James Bond spoof filmed in English (though Bianchi was again dubbed) and starring Sean Connery's brother, Neil Connery.