PIERCE BROSNAN’S LIFE LESSONS:
From James Bond to Mamma Mia!, Irish-American actor Pierce Brosnan has solidified himself as one of the world’s most impressive stars, but the road to fame was no walk in the park. Ahead of his 70th birthday, Closer takes a look at the lessons he’s learned...
‘FIND PEACE OF MIND’
Abandoned by his father, Pierce grew up as an only child with his grandparents in Ireland. After they died, he was sent to live in lodgings – with just a small bed at the end of a room. Reflecting on his hard childhood, Pierce said, “It wasn’t easy for me, and it made me wary of what life could throw at you.” But far from holding him back, his humble beginnings drove him forward. He revealed, “Perhaps you never entirely unburden yourself of your past, but you do manage to find peace of mind.”
‘YOU’RE GOING TO SUFFER ONE WAY OR ANOTHER’
Behind the camera, Pierce has faced more than his fair share of heartache. In 1980, the star married Australian actress Cassandra Harris. Their 14-year marriage was filled with love, welcoming son Sean, now 39, in 1983, as well as Pierce adopting Cassandra’s children, Charlotte and Christopher, from a previous relationship. But in 1991, Pierce lost his wife to ovarian cancer aged just 43 – with Charlotte dying of the same disease in 2013, aged just 42. Candidly speaking about grief, Pierce said, “You just have to have good faith. You’re going to suffer one way or another, it’s unavoidable, and you just have to know that the days will get better.”
‘IT TAKES NOTHING TO BE KIND’
After moving to London to live with his mother, Pierce attended his first drama workshop after it was recommended to him – and the rest was history. Graduating from drama school in 1975, Pierce worked his way up to become the screen icon we know today. Opening up about finding his calling, he shared, “Nobody gave me my self confidence. I had to find it myself.” And even once the highest levels of stardom are reached, the actor insists it’s important to stay true to your roots. In 2021, he insisted, “It takes nothing to be kind, gracious and polite. On or off set.”
‘DON’T LET REGRET COME INTO YOUR WORLD’
Pierce’s stardom was solidified after he made his James Bond debut in 1995. His portrayal of the iconic secret agent was suave, serious and a major success, but in 2002, Pierce took his final outing as 007 in Die Another Day. Revealing in 2021 how he was told the news that Bond was being recast, Pierce said he felt “kicked to the kerb”. But giving advice on how to overcome life’s disappointments, he added, “There’s no regret. I do not let regret come into my world. It just leads to more misery and more regre
