49. His Private Life Became Public
In 1993, fans were shocked when the tabloid pages descended on Connery yet again. A singer-songwriter by the name of Lynsey de Paul had made a shocking revelation, claiming that she’d had an ongoing affair with the married movie star in 1989—and the details were chilling. She claimed that he’d first flirted with her and asked for her number as his wife sat right beside him.
According to de Paul, he left her high and dry after five months. She said that their romance was one of the biggest regrets of her life. Connery denied the affair, but the story didn’t end there.
50. It Happened More Than Once.
Another woman also came forward and claimed that she’d had an ongoing affair with Connery. Danish journalist Helle Byrne said that they’d met when she interviewed him for a magazine, and that their affair had lasted 11 months before it ended. Once again, Connery denied it, and his wife stood by his side, remaining silent on the subject ever since.
51. He Almost Didn’t Become Sir Sean Connery
In the late 90s, Connery was on the shortlist for contenders for knighthood—until a controversy derailed it all. Connery had been a fierce supporter of Scottish Independence from Britain. As a result, political opponents made sure that he was vetoed for knighthood in 1997 and 1998. However, he clawed his way back onto the list in the year 2000, and the Queen finally knighted him that year.
Highlander,20th Century Studios
52. He Gave Up
Sean Connery appeared in all kinds of films throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, but one project was so disastrous that he left Hollywood completely afterward. Connery took a part in the long-awaited film adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, but the production was a catastrophe from the very start.
Connery clashed with director Stephen Norrington in a big way, and they nearly came to blows on set—but their feud didn’t stop when the film was done.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 20th Century Studios
53. He Had A Way With Words
When Norrington skipped a release party for the film, a journalist asked Connery where the director was. His reply was utterly savage. Connery told the writer to “Check the local asylum". While he made no formal announcement at the time, Connery effectively retired from making movies after The League. He never appeared in another live-action movie again.
54. He Left Hollywood In Anger
Three years later, in 2006, Connery finally confirmed his official retirement from acting, and he didn’t hold back with what he thought, saying that “the […] idiots now making films in Hollywood" had caused him to never want to make a movie again.
55. He Wore A Piece
Sean Connery has topped many critics’ lists as their pick for the best Bond—but there’s one behind the scenes secret that few fans know. Connery began losing his hair at a very young age, and every time that he played 007, he actually wore a toupee.
56. Their Relationship Was Horrible
In 2006, Connery’s first wife Diane Cilento published her autobiography, and in the book, she made disturbing accusations about the star. Cilento claimed that Connery had both physically and mentally harmed her during their marriage. Connery denied the accusations, saying "I don't believe that any level of abuse of women is ever justified under any circumstances"—but that wasn’t all.
57. He Said Some Very Questionable Things
To make matters worse, journalists unearthed quotes from an old interview with Connery. In 1965, the star had said: "I don't think there is anything particularly wrong in hitting a woman, though I don't recommend you do it the same way that you hit a man". On top of that, Connery had told Vanity Fair in 1993: "There are women who take it to the wire. That's what they are looking for, the ultimate confrontation. They want a smack". Yikes.
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58. They Suspected Him
Remember Connery’s disturbing confrontation with Johnny Stompanato on the set of one of his first films? Well, their story didn’t end when Stompanato returned to the US. Soon after, someone fatally stabbed Stompanato in his girlfriend Lana Turner’s home—and one of the people closest to him made a chilling accusation. While law enforcement detained Turner’s daughter for the attack, Stompanato’s boss, Micky Cohen, thought there was no way a teenaged girl could’ve done it.
Cohen suspected that Connery was the culprit…and he wanted revenge.
59. He Was In Grave Danger
When this was all occurring, Sean Connery was in the US working on a Disney film. Cohen actually went so far as to take out a hit on Connery—but as we know, messing with the original Bond is never a good idea. Connery moved hotels when he received a threatening call at the Roosevelt where he was staying, but other than that, he didn’t let the intimidation bother him.
Cohen eventually called off the hit after a judge found Lana Turner’s daughter guilty, and Connery went on with his life. The man was basically bulletproof!
60. The World Lost An Icon
On October 31, 2020, Connery’s family and the production company behind the James Bond films jointly announced that the actor had passed on peacefully in his sleep at the age of 90. Later, Connery’s wife Micheline Roquebrune made a heartbreaking revelation about the star’s final years.
She shared that: "He had dementia and it took its toll on him. He got his final wish to slip away without any fuss. It was no life for him. He was not able to express himself". RIP.
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