Pierce Brosnan, synonymous with elegance and resilience, is best known for his iconic portrayal of James Bond. At 68, Brosnan opened up about the heartbreak of his abrupt dismissal from the role that redefined his career, sharing the emotional toll behind the scenes.
Born on May 16, 1953, in Drogheda, Ireland, Brosnan’s early life was fraught with challenges. His father, Thomas, left when Pierce was an infant, and his mother, May, moved to London to train as a nurse. Raised by relatives before reuniting with his mother in 1964, Brosnan’s stepfather introduced him to the Bond film “Goldfinger,” planting the seed for his future.
Adjusting to life in London wasn’t easy. Teased for his Irish accent, Brosnan found solace in art, training as a commercial illustrator before discovering acting. Inspired by a fire-eating performance, he enrolled in the Drama Centre London, where his talent blossomed.
Brosnan’s big break came with the 1982 TV series Remington Steele, showcasing his charisma and setting the stage for Bond. Initially offered the role in 1986, he was forced to decline due to contractual obligations. Timothy Dalton stepped in, leaving Brosnan disappointed.
In 1994, Brosnan finally became the fifth James Bond. His debut, GoldenEye (1995), revitalized the franchise, blending Sean Connery’s confidence, Roger Moore’s charm, and Timothy Dalton’s intensity. Across four films, including Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Die Another Day (2002), Brosnan’s Bond era grossed $1.48 billion globally.
However, in 2004, Brosnan’s Bond tenure ended unexpectedly. While filming in the Bahamas, he learned producers sought a new direction, leaving him stunned. “I was shocked and just kicked to the curb,” he later revealed. Yet, Brosnan turned this setback into an opportunity.

Pierce Brosnan’s Gun Tactics & Form Were “Subpar” In $431M James Bond Movie Which Led To Very Low Score From Expert
Post-Bond, he embraced varied roles, from a quirky hitman in The Matador (2005) to the global sensation Mamma Mia! (2008). His versatility shone in films like The Ghost Writer (2010) and Black Adam (2022). Brosnan also rediscovered his passion for painting during his late wife Cassandra Harris’s battle with cancer.
Brosnan’s personal life has been marked by love and loss. Cassandra’s death in 1991 deeply affected him, but meeting journalist Keely Shaye Smith in 1994 brought healing. Married since 2001, the couple raised two sons, with Keely as his anchor.
Reflecting on his Bond legacy, Brosnan expresses gratitude. “Bond was the gift that keeps giving,” he says, embracing both the role’s transformative impact and his freedom to redefine himself. His journey from a small Irish town to global stardom exemplifies resilience, talent, and reinvention.
Before he was in Mamma Mia!, however, Brosnan was well-known for his work in the James Bond franchise. Brosnan followed Timothy Dalton’s two-film foray in the franchise and preceded the well-loved Daniel Craig in the role.
He went on to play 007 in four movies, three of which were released in the 90s, including GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The World is Not Enough. Brosnan’s 2000s James Bond Film gets evaluated by a professional.
One Firearms Specialist Does Not Approve Of Die Another Day
Die Another Day Had Several Inaccuracies

Box Office Performance of Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond Films
Movie (Year)
GoldenEye (1995)
$352.1 million
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
$333 million
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
$361.8 million
Die Another Day (2002)
$431.9 million
He looks around the corner. You never clear a corner with your face. Your face can’t shoot back. It would have been better in this particular scene if he were maybe using that full room as cover. He could have been full extension and maybe pied off that corner a little bit, and walked laterally in a fashion. And then now he owns that real estate with the gun instead of with his face.James Bond doing what is referred to a cup and saucer grip. So instead of a good grip where you’re consuming the lower portion of the pistol, to reduce muzzle whip like we talked about before, his support hand grip is almost underneath of the pistol. So cup, saucer. So there is very very little control when it comes to controlling the recoil. There is absolutely no scenario, zero, where cup and saucer would be good to use.
He’s right in the middle of the hallway, it is like he’s in a competition shooting match, and he’s hitting multiple targets. You don’t clear a hallway from the center of the hallway. You want to use cover. His transition between target and target was not bad. But tactically speaking it was very poor.
That was a very easy shot at the assailant. The guy who was holding the guy. His entire pie was visible. Instead he offered to shoot him I think in the hand, and her in the arm. Which, screw that, I would have taken that shot. He should have that level of training that he can take that shot easily. Overall, Pierce Brosnan’s gun form is very subpar. I would rate this clip a 3.
Our Take On Die Another Day’s Inaccuracy
The Bond Movies Could Have Gotten Better Over Time
Given the prominence of the Bond franchise, it is somewhat surprising to hear that Die Another Day made all these errors. It seems like Brosnan’s team either did not have any consultants or made poor use of them when choreographing the gun-based fight scenes.
Part of this may have been for dramatic effect, but elements such as Brosnan sticking his head out could appear senseless even to the ordinary viewer. It would be interesting to see an expert like McNamara review all the Bond films and how their use of guns has changed over time.