Grace Jones didn't just walk onto a movie set in 1985. She invaded it.
When she joined the cast of A View to a Kill, the James Bond franchise was, frankly, looking a little dusty. Roger Moore was 57. He was older than the mother of his leading lady, Tanya Roberts. The series needed a jolt of pure, unadulterated energy, and they got it in the form of a 5'10" Jamaican powerhouse who redefined what a "Bond Girl" could actually be.
Most people remember Grace Jones in James Bond for the outfits or that terrifying stare. But looking back from 2026, her role as May Day was much weirder, funnier, and more influential than the history books usually let on.
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The Bodyguard Who Stole the Show
May Day wasn't your typical eye candy. She was the muscle. As the chief henchwoman for Christopher Walken’s Max Zorin, she was arguably more intimidating than the villain himself. While Zorin was busy giggling about microchips and flooding Silicon Valley, May Day was busy lifting men over her head and jumping off the Eiffel Tower.
Honestly, the chemistry between Jones and Walken is the only thing that keeps the movie from sliding into a total nap. They were both "performance artists" in a way. Michael G. Wilson, the producer, even used that exact phrase to describe Grace. She brought this high-fashion, avant-garde sensibility to a franchise that was still mostly stuck in the 1960s.
That Infamous Bed Scene
There’s a story about the filming of the "seduction" scene between Bond and May Day that everyone should know. Roger Moore was a legendary prankster. He loved to mess with people. Grace decided she’d had enough and went to the prop department.
She found a massive dildo.
When it came time to film the scene where she's under the sheets waiting for Bond, she strapped it on. When Moore pulled back the covers, expecting a romantic moment, he got... well, he got the surprise of his life. Director John Glen said she screamed with laughter for ten minutes. Roger? Not so much. He reportedly found her "difficult," which is often just code for "she didn't let me be the center of attention."
The Fashion of May Day
You can’t talk about Grace Jones in James Bond without talking about the clothes. This wasn't off-the-rack stuff. She brought in her close friend and legendary designer Azzedine Alaïa to collaborate with the film’s costume designer, Emma Porteous.
The result?
- Hooded tunics that looked like something from a Martian runway.
- Sharp-shouldered leather jackets that screamed 80s power.
- Red bandage dresses that somehow looked both like armor and high art.
It was a total departure from the bikinis and evening gowns of the past. May Day didn't dress for the male gaze; she dressed to dominate the room. Even today, you see echoes of this "villain chic" on runways in Paris and Milan.
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Dolph Lundgren’s Weird Cameo
Here’s a fun fact: we might never have had Rocky IV or The Expendables without this movie. At the time, Grace Jones was dating a massive, brilliant Swedish guy named Dolph Lundgren. He was essentially her bodyguard and boyfriend, hanging around the set at Pinewood Studios.
One day, they needed an extra to play a KGB thug named Venz. The director looked at the 6'5" giant standing next to Grace and basically said, "You. Hold this gun." That was his first-ever on-screen role. Imagine being so iconic that your plus-one becomes an action movie legend just by standing near you.
Why the Character Still Matters
Most Bond villains’ henchmen end up at the bottom of a shark tank or blown up without a second thought. May Day got a redemption arc. When Zorin betrays her and leaves her to die in the mine, she doesn't just run away. She helps Bond. She sacrifices herself to move the bomb, going out in a literal blaze of glory.
It was a rare moment of actual pathos in a movie that featured Roger Moore snowboarding to a cover of "California Girls."
Actionable Insights for Bond Fans
If you're revisiting A View to a Kill or diving into the lore of Grace Jones in James Bond, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Eiffel Tower jump closely. While B.J. Worth did the actual stunt, Grace’s physical acting during the ascent is incredible. She moves like a predator.
- Look for the Alaïa influence. Notice how her silhouette is always distinct from any other woman in the film. It's structural, not just decorative.
- Check out the chemistry. Contrast her scenes with Walken against her scenes with Moore. With Walken, she’s a partner; with Moore, she’s a threat he clearly doesn't know how to handle.
To really appreciate her impact, watch her 1982 documentary A One Man Show right before you watch the Bond film. You'll see exactly how she took her stage persona and weaponized it for the big screen. May Day wasn't just a character; she was Grace Jones turned up to eleven.
Next time someone tells you the 80s Bond films were forgettable, just point them toward the woman in the red hood jumping off a landmark. They’ll get the point.