Joanna Pettet, 'Casino Royale' and 'The Group' actress, dies at 83

Joanna Pettet, the British actress known for roles in Casino Royale and The Group, died at age 83 on July 7, 2026 in Temecula Valley Hospital, California. Source: infobae, elmundoes, listindiario Her death was confirmed by friend and former representative Pam DuBois via The Hollywood Reporter. Source: infobae

Career highlights

Pettet's breakthrough came in Sidney Lumet's The Group (1966) as one of the eight Vassar graduates, followed by the James Bond parody Casino Royale (1967) where she played a spy working for David Niven's Bond. Source: infobae, elmundoes She also appeared in films such as La noche de los generales (1967) with Tom Courtenay and Robbery - El gran robo (1967) opposite Stanley Baker. Source: elmundoes On television, she guest-starred in series like El fugitivo, Los ángeles de Charlie, Vacaciones en el mar, El coche fantástico, and Se ha escrito un crimen. Source: listindiario Her final film role was in the Chilean dictatorship drama Dulce país (1987). Source: infobae

Personal life and the Sharon Tate connection

Exactly 31 years before her own death, Pettet's son Damien Cord died at age 26 from a heroin overdose in 1995. Source: infobae, elmundoes Damien was her only child with actor Alex Cord, who passed away in 2021. Source: listindiario On August 8, 1969, Pettet and actress Barbara Lewis had lunch by the pool at Sharon Tate's home in Topanga Canyon, just hours before Tate and four others were murdered by Charles Manson's followers. Source: elmundoes This moment was later depicted in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, where Pettet was portrayed by Rumer Willis. Source: elmundoes