Pierce Brosnan’s First Bond Scene Went Hilariously Wrong—And He Saved It Without Anyone Noticing
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Pierce Brosnan’s debut as James Bond in GoldenEye (1995) was the moment the world met a new 007—sleek, assured, and ready to reinvigorate the franchise for a post–Cold War audience. But behind the camera, on his very first day as Bond, things were a little less smooth. In fact, a sliced tendon, a rogue pinkie finger, and a roll of Band-Aids nearly stole the show.
Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on April 2, 2025, Brosnan recounted the mishap with the kind of self-deprecating charm that has long endeared him to audiences. Before filming even began, he’d suffered a home accident that left him with a damaged tendon, 12 weeks in a splint, and lingering stiffness in his hand. For most people, that might have been an inconvenience; for James Bond, it was a problem.
On day one, Brosnan’s task was to stride into a scene opposite Robbie Coltrane’s Valentin Zukovsky, level a Walther PPK, and exude complete control. But when he gripped the gun, his pinkie finger—still rebelling from injury—snapped upright. “It just went, ‘Toot!’” he laughed. They reset. The finger popped up again.
With the first-day pressure mounting, Brosnan improvised. In a moment of very Bond-like ingenuity, he taped his finger to the prop gun with a Band-Aid, locking it into place. The fix worked. The cameras rolled. The audience never knew.
Resilience Under Pressure
That quick-thinking moment is classic Brosnan: resilient, adaptable, and unflappable in the face of trouble. “All first days are terrifying,” he admitted, but he refused to let the injury rattle him—or the production schedule. Instead, he turned a potentially embarrassing glitch into a private problem-solving victory.
Bond Spirit, On and Off Screen
In many ways, the incident mirrors the very character he was stepping into. Bond thrives on improvisation under duress, and here was Brosnan—before even fully earning the tux—finding a way to win the day with nothing more than tape and grit.
Brosnan’s ability to push through the moment wasn’t just about saving a scene; it was about setting a tone. GoldenEye was tasked with reviving Bond after a six-year absence from theaters. Brosnan delivered, with the film grossing $356 million worldwide and earning an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score, proving the character was still a cultural force.
A Career Defined by Grace
Looking back now, the story is more than a funny behind-the-scenes anecdote—it’s a snapshot of the qualities that helped Brosnan carry the Bond mantle for nearly a decade: composure, ingenuity, and dedication to his craft. It also reveals a humility that keeps him relatable. “I shouldn’t even be telling you this,” he joked, before doing exactly that.
In GoldenEye, Bond’s cool was unshakable. Off screen, on that very first day, Pierce Brosnan proved his was too—Band-Aid and all.
