news Ursula Andress, first-ever Bond girl, promoting osteoporosis awareness

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Ursula Andress, first-ever Bond girl, promoting osteoporosis awareness


2 hours, 52 minutes ago





By Nelson Wyatt, The Canadian Press

MONTREAL - Daniel Craig is a fine actor, says Ursula Andress, the very first Bond girl
But for Andress, like many James Bond diehards, Sean Connery is still No. 1.
Andress achieved pop culture icon status when she dropped 007's jaw as she strode out of the surf in a bikini in 1962's "Dr. No."
"Daniel Craig is a very good actor," Andress said in an interview Friday. "Whatever he does, he does it very well.
"But my James Bond is Sean Connery."
"Dr. No" was the first Bond movie made from the thrilling spy novels by Ian Fleming. Connery, a suave Scot, was the first actor to play him on the big screen and became an icon in the role.
However, Andress set the standard for the Bond girls to follow when she played the tough and sexy Honey Ryder.
Andress smiles fondly when she's asked about Connery, famous for his gruff and tough roles.
"He's a lovely man. The fabulous thing about Sean is I met him in 1962 and he stayed the same man, the same person. He has not changed with all the success.
"He actually became very good-looking with age. He looks very good and he's a very good friend of mine."
But the Swiss actress, who turns 73 next week, is taking on a more insidious villain these days than Dr. No.
The woman who made moviegoing men weak in the knees is campaigning to raise awareness about osteoporosis, a potentially crippling bone disease that strikes one out of four women aged 50 and more and affects about two million Canadians.
Andress wants women to be aware of their bone health and discuss osteoporosis as part of their annual check-ups.
She was diagnosed with osteoporosis about eight years ago and says not much is written about the illness. Doctors don't highlight it as much as they do other diseases such as cancer or high blood pressure, she complained.
And while her focus was on women on Friday, she was quick to point out that the disease strikes men too.
"It's like a sort of silent thief who comes along and takes away the health of your bones and then you cannot make the bone become healthy again or strong," she said. "It's too late."
She warned people that they can't cure it with just calcium and vitamin D. They need proper medication.
A relieved squeak punctuates Andress' Swedish accent when she's asked how she's dealing with her own osteoporosis. She has always been active and looked spry at the news conference.
"Thank God I did the test and thank God I found out in time before it's impinging on your heath or your movement," she said.
"I can run, I can swim, I can ski, I can horseback - I can do everything," she said. "But if I had waited 10 years. . . ."
She said there's no pain to tip people off that there might be something wrong.
"You don't have any pain at all. That's what is so dangerous."
An Osteoporosis Canada survey released at the news conference indicated a change in atitude among osteoporosis sufferers, most of whom don't see themselves as frail.
Doctors polled don't share the view, the survey indicated.
Robert Allard, a spokesman with Osteoporosis Canada, wants people to be informed.
"With this initiative, we hope to educate Canadians about the seriousness of osteoporosis but also remind them that with appropriate therapy, you can continue life to the fullest," he said.
And get tested early, Andress insisted.
"Do the test to find out if your bones are healthy and strong and then you say, 'Thank God, girl.' And if not, talk to your doctor about how to cure it."