20 Things You Didn’t Know About Octopussy (1983)

Octopussy was the most difficult role to cast in the film.

Although Sybil Danning was announced as Octopussy in 1982, Cubby Broccoli felt that her personality was too strong. Faye Dunaway - who had almost been Domino Derval in Thunderball - was deemed too expensive, whilst Nicaraguan-American actress, Barbara Carrera declined the part to co-star opposite Sean Connery's James Bond as SPECTRE assassin, Fatima Blush in Never Say Never Again.

The producers then considered South Asian actresses, so casting director, Jane Jennings approached the only two Indian actresses in Hollywood at the time, Persis Khambatta and Susie Coelho, as well as those who she felt could portray Indian characters, such as Barbara Parkins.

Cubby coincidentally met former Bond Girl, Maud Adams on an airline flight and asked her to screen test potential Double-0 Seven actors in case Roger Moore did not return. When negotiations with Moore were successful, however, Broccoli cast her as Octopussy.

Maud Adams darkened her hair for the role as the script described her as having been raised by an Indian family, but Octopussy became the daughter of a gem-smuggling traitor instead.