Barbara Bach may have played the iconic Bond girl Triple
X, but she wasn’t waiting to be rescued by the spy who loved her. Instead,
she found something far greater than Hollywood fame—a love story that would
last a lifetime.
The former model and actress, best known for her role
as Major Anya Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), had the
world at her feet. She was the ultimate Bond girl—fierce, intelligent, and
stunning. But despite a thriving career and international recognition, she
would eventually walk away from Hollywood for love.
And that love? None other than Ringo Starr, the
legendary drummer of The Beatles.
Their love story, filled with chance encounters,
whirlwind romance, and unwavering devotion, has stood the test of time.
Decades later, their relationship remains one of rock and Hollywood’s most
enduring love stories.
The Bond Girl Who Wasn’t
Afraid to Challenge Bond
Barbara Bach’s breakthrough role as Major Anya
Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me was no ordinary Bond girl
performance. Unlike past female leads who were often damsels in distress,
her character was a strong, independent KGB agent who went toe-to-toe
with Roger Moore’s James Bond.
But behind the scenes, Bach was never shy about
calling out Bond’s chauvinism. In a 1983 interview with People, she
famously described the MI6 agent as “a chauvinist pig who uses girls to
shield him against bullets.”
Moore himself didn’t disagree. The same year he took
over the role in Live and Let Die (1973), he admitted, “Bond, like
myself, is a male chauvinist pig. All my life I’ve been trying to get women out
of brassieres and pants.”
Despite her critiques of Bond, Bach’s performance in The
Spy Who Loved Me made her an instant icon. She became one of the
most memorable Bond girls of all time, securing her place in Hollywood
history.
Before starring alongside Moore, she had already made
a name for herself in Italian cinema, appearing in films like Black
Belly of the Tarantula (1971). That thriller even featured two other
former Bond girls, Claudine Auger (Thunderball, 1965) and Barbara
Bouchet (Casino Royale, 1967).
But it wasn’t The Spy Who Loved Me or her
Italian film career that changed her life forever—it was a chance meeting at
an airport in 1980 that would lead to the love of a lifetime.
A Love Story Written in the
Stars
Barbara Bach and Ringo Starr’s love story didn’t begin
like a typical Hollywood romance.
They were both traveling to Mexico for the filming of Caveman
(1981), a slapstick prehistoric comedy where Ringo played a Neanderthal
who lusts after Bach’s character.
What happened on-screen, however, did not reflect
reality at all.
As Bach later revealed in a 1981 Playboy
interview, the two weren’t romantically involved at first. They worked well
together but had other romantic partners at the time. But during the final
week of shooting, something changed.
“All of a sudden, within a week—the last week of
shooting—it just happened,” she shared. “We changed from friendly love to
being in love.”
Their connection was instant and undeniable.
Starr himself recalled in a 2021 interview with The Irish Examiner that
the moment he saw her at LAX in 1980, he was smitten.
“I love the woman. I loved her from when I first saw her at LAX in 1980,” he said. “She was at the airport with a boyfriend, and I was at the airport checking in. We happened to be going to Mexico to do the same movie. And that’s how it happened. I’m blessed she’s in my life, that’s all I can ever say.”
A Love That Defied the Odds
Bach and Starr came from two different worlds—she
was a Hollywood starlet, and he was a global music icon.
But in a twist of fate, Bach had actually attended The
Beatles’ legendary Shea Stadium concert in 1965.
Ironically, she wasn’t there for Ringo.
“My sister Marjorie was crazy about The Beatles,” Bach
revealed in a 1981 People interview. “I liked [Bob] Dylan, Ray Charles,
and the Rolling Stones.”
Marjorie, however, was such a die-hard fan that she showed
up wearing a Beatles wig to the concert.
As fate would have it, Marjorie later married Joe
Walsh, the legendary Eagles guitarist—who would later play
alongside Ringo in his All-Starr Band.
The Wedding That Brought the
Beatles Back Together
Their love story reached new heights on April 27,
1981, when they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony.
But the wedding wasn’t just a celebration of love—it
became a historic Beatles reunion.
The guest list included Paul McCartney and George
Harrison, bringing together three of the Fab Four just months after the
tragic death of John Lennon.
Their love was tested early on when they were involved
in a near-fatal car accident. While swerving to avoid a truck, their car
rolled over twice before coming to a stop.
Shaken but grateful to be alive, they made a life-changing
decision.
“We decided we wouldn’t spend any time apart,” Starr
later said. “So far, the longest break was five days, and that was too long.
I want to live every minute with Barbara.”
The couple later entered rehab together in 1988,
emerging sober and more committed than ever.
A Love That Stands the Test
of Time
In 2021, as they celebrated 40 years of marriage,
Ringo shared a heartfelt tribute on social media.
Posting a throwback wedding photo featuring
McCartney and Harrison, he wrote:
“It was 40 years ago today. The love of my life said
yes yes yes.”
Beyond their personal happiness, the couple is
dedicated to giving back. Together, they run The Lotus Foundation,
which supports causes ranging from homelessness and addiction recovery to
animal welfare and cancer research.
Starr, who also paints, donates 100% of his artwork
sales to charity.
Still Crazy in Love—Four
Decades Later
When asked about their relationship, Bach keeps it
simple:
“I love the man, and that’s it.”
For Starr, there’s no doubt about the strength
of their bond.
“There’s no escape … I think I love Barbara as much
today as I did when we met,” he said. “And
I’m beyond blessed that she loves me and we’re still together.”
They are proof that true love isn’t just for fairy
tales or movie screens.
Some love stories aren’t written by
Hollywood—they’re written by fate.
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