Tania Mallet (born May 19, 1941) is an English model who is best known for her appearance as Tilly Masterson in the James Bond film Goldfinger. Mallet attended the Lucy Clayton’s School Of Modelling, and started working as a model at just 16 years old, becoming one of the most recognizable and famous models of the 1960s.

Tania Mallet.

According to Mallet, she got the part of Tilly Masterson when someone sent a photo of her in a bikini to Bond producer Cubby Broccoli. In any case, it seems Mallet grabbed Broccoli’s attention before Goldfinger: she was tested for the lead Bond girl role Tatiana Romanova in From Russia with Love. Mallet didn’t get it due to her provincial British accent (strange considering that Daniela Bianchi, who eventually played Tatiana, had her voice redubbed).

Despite the film’s phenomenal success, Goldfinger would be Mallet’s only major big screen appearance. Mallet cited two reasons for her return to modelling and turning down all further film offers: she did not like the restrictions imposed on her personal freedom when she was under contract during the film. Second, she said the money was “dreadful”. She was initially offered £50 a week, and managed to up her fee to £150 a week after tough negotiations,