Jamaica Is In The Spotlight As Bond 25 Hits The Silver Screen

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Oct. 1, 2021: The Caribbean nation of Jamaica has found itself in the global spotlight positively, as James Bond’s ‘No Time To Die,’ opened globally last night. Add to the mix a Caribbean roots actress as Miss Moneypenny and the Bond series that so many love, is absolutely sprinkled with Caribbean love.

Naomie Melanie Harris, OBE, who returned in this movie as Eve Moneypenny, has roots that are distinctly Caribbean.

Her mother, Carmen Harris, emigrated from Jamaica to London as a child with her parents. Her father, Brian Clarke, a fashion designer, emigrated from Trinidad to the UK, and has British, Grenadian, and Guyanese ancestors.

Actress Naomie Harris, who plays Ms. Moneypenny, has roots in the Caribbean. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures)

The movie was filmed on location in Jamaica – which also doubled for the Cuba scenes.

Even before Craig’s stint as James Bond, 007 long had ties to Jamaica – from Dr. No (1962) to Live and Let Die (1973). Author Ian Fleming also had a home there himself and created and wrote all of his Bond novels at his Goldeneye villa in Oracabessa, a property that is now a luxury resort owned by music legend Chris Blackwell.

So, it makes perfect sense that the agent would wind up retiring on the island, the spiritual home of his character.

Bond’s home in No Time to Die was specially-built on the shore, near Port Antonio. The island also doubled for Cuba later on in the movie, with exterior shots taken in Kingston, the seventh largest natural harbor in the world.

Costing over US $200 million to produce, “No Time To Die” sees Bond come out of retirement in Jamaica to help track down a new villain, described by Oscar winner Malek as “mischievous(and) devious,” and armed with lethal technology.

To celebrate Bond’s return, the Jamaica Tourist Board has released behind-the-scenes footage of the filming process in Jamaica.

“It’s really something we have dreamt about, and we are happy that it’s going to be a reality,” said Jamaica Culture Minister Olivia Grange.

Here are some of the behind the scenes screen grabs from the No Time To Die behind the scenes video footage as released by the JTB.