His famous alter-ego, James Bond, wasn’t exactly the marrying kind, but Pierce Brosnan has always been the poster boy for wedded bliss. In fact, he and his wife, Keely Shaye Smith, are famous for having one of the most devoted and enduring relationships in showbiz – ever since they met 30 years ago at a party in Mexico, and married seven years later in 2001.
But last week, the Hollywood icon sent the rumour mill into overdrive after being spotted without his wedding ring, while out and about in London with his mother Mary May Smith. The 71-year-old is currently in the capital working on his new film, Black Bag, while Keely, 60, has stayed back at their home in Hawaii.
While many actors are prone to removing their personal items while working on TV and
film projects, Pierce’s choice to do so has come as a surprise, considering he’s chosen to wear it on camera in the past in tribute to his beloved wife.
So, what does it mean? According to our insiders, there’s no need to panic. Whispers may be circulating that there’s trouble in paradise, but Pierce and Keely are apparently still as strong as can be. Like many couples, they’ve weathered storms, and continue to face their challenges – but ultimately, they remain committed to their 23-year marriage and the life they’ve built together with their sons, Dylan, 27, and Paris, 23.
“Pierce and Keely are the first to admit they’ve had their difficult times down the years, like any other couple,” says an insider close to the GoldenEye actor, who – in real life, as a devout Catholic – has little in common with 007’s lascivious ways and wandering eye.
“It’s well known that she’s found his intense work schedule difficult to live with at times – plus, they’ve had patches where they’ve gotten on one another’s nerves and needed space for one reason or another. But, at the end of the day, they’re a total unit, and navigating these ups and downs, and learning to tolerate and compromise, is what’s kept them strong. Pierce is a staunch Catholic, who believes in the sanctimony of marriage and that Keely is very much his life partner until death do they part.”
Last year, the actor gave some insight into his and Keely’s rock-solid partnership –
while also acknowledging the “hardships” they’ve encountered along the way. “We like each other a lot. We love each other a lot,” he told Fox News. “And we’ve been down the road, and we’ve seen many, many hardships as families do, as we all do. But watching someone grow up with you and grow old with you is a very spiritual journey. To watch each other change…whatever it may be, the hair, the waist. But it’s the love in the heart.”
This followed Pierce’s online outburst in defence of his wife a year prior, after Internet trolls cruelly body-shamed her. “Friends offered her surgery to reduce her weight,” he said in a now deleted Facebook comment. “But I strongly love every curve of her body. She is the most beautiful woman in my eyes…I am very proud of her, and I always seek to be worthy of her love.”
Poignantly, a big part of Pierce and Keely’s special relationship has always been her support and understanding of his grief, having lost his first wife, Cassandra Harris, to ovarian cancer when he was just 38 and she was 43 – three years before he met Keely. In 2013, he described Keely as his “North Star”, adding that she “has always been kind and compassionate and encouraged me to mourn Cassie”.
She supported him through his grief again that same year when, tragically, his daughter Charlotte – whom he shared with Cassandra, alongside sons Sean and Christopher – succumbed to the same disease as her late mother. In the aftermath, sources have said that Pierce relied on his wife more than ever, and she duly comforted him in his time of need.
Still, like many long-term relationships, the pair have differed in opinions along the way – with insiders saying that Keely, who works as a documentary filmmaker, wishes that Pierce would slow things down now that he’s into his seventies.
In Black Bag, he’s returning to his spy roots – playing an undercover agent called Spiegel – in what promises to be a physically demanding role. That, coupled with the fact that he’s been filming the movie in London without Keely, and without his wedding ring, despite wearing it in his 2022 film Black Adam, is what has sent the rumours flying that their marriage is in crisis. But, as our source tells us, there is no need to jump to conclusions.
“It’s known that Keely would like Pierce to take it easy and not push himself physically,” we’re told. “He tears around the globe like he’s a guy half his age, sometimes taking on scenes that are extremely intense. Keely trusts him to take care of himself for the most part, though she can’t help but worry for him at times, too. But the rumours that they could be headed for any type of split aren’t being taken seriously by the folks who know them well.
"It’s true he rarely takes off his wedding ring, but sometimes he does, and this was one of those occasions. From his perspective, any suggestion that there’s some type of marriage crisis is laughable. Keely’s hoping to fly out and join him in the UK soon and, in the meantime, he just wishes people didn’t jump to silly conclusions about the state of his marriage.”
With all other indicators pointing to a strong and sturdy marriage, Pierce is apparently not letting the fuss bring him down. Instead, he’s focusing on his latest project, while eagerly awaiting his reunion with Keely – either in London, or back home in the US. As for the rumours and scrutiny, he’s neither shaken, nor stirred.