Things We’ve Only Learned About Sean Connery Since He Passed Away

When we think of James Bond, there’s a good chance one man comes to mind: Sean Connery. After all, he was the first actor to bring the legendary super spy to life on the big screen and has been tied to the franchise ever since. Still, there was so much more to his life than 007.

The issue? The things we’ve only learned about Sean Connery since he passed away goes to show just how much we missed about the once-leading Hollywood star until it was too late. Thankfully, Sean Connery’s legacy will forever live on.

No cause of passing was initially given when Sean Connery lost his life

For decades, Sean Connery was one of the leading faces in Hollywood. His suave demeanor, teamed with his instantly recognizable voice, meant he always stood out of the crowd for all the right reasons. That’s why so many around the world stood still on October 31, 2020, when news broke that Sean had passed away.

At the time, the BBC merely reported the Hollywood star lost his life in his sleep while at his home in Nassau in the Bahamas. At the time, Sean was 90, with his son - Jason - later telling the world that his father’s health had been deteriorating for some time. No cause was listed, but apparently, Jason’s family were all there.

He was supposedly surrounded by family during his final moments

Behind him, Sean Connery left an incredible legacy. His time on the big screen means he will never be forgotten, especially as he left behind his son, Jason, and wife, Michelle, who will ensure no one forgets what Sean gave the world. Jason continued to tell the BBC that Sean was surrounded by his loved ones, but that wasn't all.

The official social media pages for James Bond also released statements from producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who admitted they were both "devastated by the news" of Sean's passing. The pair stated Sean "revolutionized the world" with his portrayal of Bond and confessed he "is undoubtedly largely responsible" for making the spy who he is today.

A handful of health conditions were linked to the passing of Sean Connery

Even though the world was mourning the loss of Sean Connery, many still wanted answers as to what happened. Of course, being 90 saw many people put his cause of passing down as old age. However, we had more of an idea of what was happening a month after the news broke when TMZ obtained his cause of passing.

Sean’s age was listed as part of the reason he lost his life, but the report also revealed something else: pneumonia. To top things off, Sean had allegedly been living with atrial fibrillation, apparently the most common type of heart arrhythmia. It’s caused when the lower and upper chambers in the heart no longer coordinate, affecting someone’s heartbeat.

It was later announced the actor had also been living with dementia

The more people started digging into his passing, the more people began to learn about what had been going on in Sean Connery’s life in his final years. After all, it had been years since we saw him on the big screen after his somewhat dramatic exit from Hollywood, and no one had any idea about his health.

Sean was married to Michelle Roquebrune when he lost his life. She later spoke to the Daily Mail about what happened. Here, Michelle admitted he had been living with dementia for years, adding, “It was no life for him.” She continued Sean could no longer “express himself latterly,” and being with him when he passed away was “what he wanted.”

There had been several reports of Sean Connery’s declining mental health

It turns out this wasn’t the first time people had questioned Sean Connery’s health, but it was the first time we had any kind of indication from someone close to the actor that the rumors were true. The first moment came back in 2013 when Sean’s friend, actor Michael Caine, reportedly hinted that something was wrong.

People took the comment and ran, with many reporting Sean had Alzheimer’s. As a result, Michael spent two years trying to undo the interpretation but did admit in 2015 that Sean was getting forgetful and confused. After the actor’s passing, racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart confessed it was a “sad sight” to see Sean struggle with his mental health.

People have argued there was a bigger reason Sean Connery moved to the Bahamas

What happens when you are one of the biggest faces in Hollywood and have had enough of the entertainment industry? If you’re anything like Sean Connery, you move to the Bahamas and take a step back from the media. For almost three decades, Sean spent the majority of his time living in Nassau, but some think there was another reason.

There have been reports Sean was avoiding paying his taxes, something he always denied. To make matters worse, the actor was always vocal about supporting Scottish independence from the UK, yet he moved to the Bahamas. He eventually published six years of tax returns, but people pointed out he would have paid a lot more if he’d stayed in Scotland.

The actor requested to have his ashes scattered in his home nation

There was also the issue of what happened to Sean Connery once he passed away. Even though he was born and raised in Scotland, the actor considered the Bahamas his home for the last few decades. Apparently, his family eventually found a way to incorporate the two into his passing - by splitting his ashes after Sean was cremated.

Sean was initially cremated in the Bahamas, and it’s said that his family reportedly spread half of his ashes there and half in Scotland. It’s said they chose St. Andrews as the spot, as it was home to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, somewhere Sean was a member, as the place to hold a memorial.

Sean Connery’s brother passed away within a year of losing the actor

The Connery family had already been through enough heartbreak when, seven months after Sean Connery lost his life, his younger brother passed away. Neil was living in Scotland and was 83 years old when he passed away on May 10, 2021, and was known for always resembling the ‘James Bond’ star throughout his lengthy career.

It’s reported Neil was also battling a long-term illness by the time he passed away, but details have never been given. Although Neil never enjoyed the acting success that Sean managed to achieve in his life, he did have a few acting credits to his name, such as the comedy ‘James Bond’ spoof, ‘Operation Kid Brother.’

He joined the Navy at 16 years old but was discharged due to his health

It appears that Sean Connery’s health has always been something that’s plagued his life, starting all the way back at the beginning of his career. Long before he stepped up as the biggest super spy in the world, Sean actually joined the Royal Navy at just 16 years old and was a part of the forces for three years.

Unfortunately, it all came crashing down when Sean was honorably discharged from his duties. Apparently, the youngster had been diagnosed with an ulcer, which meant he was no longer allowed to be a part of the Navy. However, it wasn’t all bad. If Sean was never discharged, there’s a chance he never would have turned to acting.

The actor worked as an adult model before joining Hollywood

Just because he eventually ended up as the face of James Bond didn’t mean that Sean Connery went from working for the Royal Navy to taking Hollywood by storm. In fact, he had an unusual pitstop in the middle, with Sean admitting what he got up to in 1999 when he spoke to Jay Leno about his younger years.

The actor admitted he was enrolled at the Edinburgh College of Art and was struggling to make ends meet when he learned about adult models. Apparently, that was all Sean needed to be convinced, claiming he was making anywhere between six and eight pence (approximately seven to ten cents) per hour of posing in his birthday suit.

Sean Connery had a host of jobs before he settled on a life in Hollywood

During his time in the Royal Navy, Sean Connery followed suit like so many others at sea and ended up with two tattoos: one that read “Scotland Forever” and another that simply said “Mum and Dad.” Thankfully, these never got in the way of Sean’s many other jobs before he eventually landed as a leading face in Hollywood.

Apparently, Sean started bodybuilding when he was 18 years old and allegedly actually came third in the Mr. Universe contest in 1950. Away from his hobbies, the actor also worked as a truck driver, a lifeguard at local swimming baths, a laborer, and, perhaps most surprisingly, a coffin polisher. However, nothing stuck like Sean’s time as an actor.

Sean Connery was offered a trial at Manchester United soccer team

Just because he played an international super spy for years doesn’t mean that everyone puts two and two together to come to the conclusion that Sean Connery was actually pretty sporty throughout his life. In fact, he was a huge soccer fan throughout his life and was almost a part of one of the most famous teams.

Manchester United have a host of titles, trophies, and legendary players under their belt - such as George Best, Eric Cantona, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Amazingly, the former manager of the club, Sir Matt Busby, saw something in Sean and wanted him to try out for the team, ultimately offering the youngster a shot at a trial at the club.

He ultimately decided to become an actor instead of a soccer star because of his age

Matt Busby didn’t just stumble across Sean Connery by chance and think he would be a good fit for Manchester United. The Scottish Football Association claims the actor was a part of Bonnyrigg Rose Football Club when Matt was looking for new talent and was impressed by what he saw. He even had a tempting offer.

Matt supposedly offered Sean £25 a week (approximately $31), but the actor turned it down. He later confessed he “really wanted to accept,” but he realized top soccer stars could be “over the hill by the age of 30” and Sean was already 23 years old. Instead, he turned to acting, something Sean called “one of my more intelligent moves.”

Sean Connery once advised a soccer player about his career, but he didn’t listen

Amazingly, this wasn’t Sean Connery’s only brush with soccer. For most of his life, the actor was seen cheering on his favorite team, the Rangers, and there was a time he tried to get even more involved with the Scottish Premiership giants. After Sean passed away, Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso opened up about a press conference from the late-‘90s.

Apparently, Gennaro was playing with the Rangers at the time when rumors circulated he was moving back to Italy. The soccer star says Sean pleaded with him to stay in Scotland, but it was too late, and Gennaro moved to Salernitana. Still, the soccer star admitted he appreciated the advice and he “always had good memories of Sean.”

An early acting role saw Sean Connery get caught up with the Mob

Breaking into acting saw everything change for Sean Connery, but things weren’t always smooth for the star. In fact, one of his earliest roles came in 1958’s romance drama movie ‘Another Time, Another Place,’ starring Lana Turner. Rolling Stone later reported that Lara was the one to handpick Sean to appear in the film, but things didn’t end well.

Throughout production, Sean and Lara allegedly grew pretty close, with the pair often going out in the evening with Lara’s teenage daughter, Cheryl Crane. The issue? Lara’s boyfriend was supposedly incredibly jealous - and just so happened to be John Stompanato, who worked as the muscle for gangster Mickey Cohen. The result was John pulling a weapon on Sean.

The actor fled town, only for Cheryl Crane to end the mobster’s life

The threat was far from the end of it all, with John Stompanato supposedly threatening that if Sean Connery didn’t get out of town, he would end up sleeping with the fishes. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sean didn’t take that warning lightly and got out of there as quickly as he could. Still, that was far from the end of it all.

Lara Turner and John continued dating, but things were continually strained. That was until Lara’s daughter, Cheryl, stabbed the gangster in the stomach and ended his life. The Los Angeles reported Cheryl admitted to the crime, claiming she did it to protect her mother. The judge later agreed, and it was deemed a justifiable crime.

An actor pulling out landed Sean Connery his first major acting break

Thankfully, Sean Connery didn’t have to spend the rest of his life on the run, but things might have been very different if it weren’t for Alvin Rakoff’s wife. The director was working on a remake of the sports drama movie ‘Requiem For a Heavyweight’ when he suddenly learned his leading man, Jack Palance, had pulled out of the production.

As he started panicking and looking for any replacement, his wife called and asked about casting Sean. Apparently, he had appeared in Alvin’s previous project. However, the director revealed after Sean’s passing that he initially thought Sean “mumbles,” and he wasn’t pleased. However, his wife convinced Alvin that “the ladies would like it,” and the rest is history.

A huge paycheck made Sean Connery return to the world of James Bond

Playing the part of James Bond in the spy thriller franchise would change Sean Connery's life - and the franchise - forever. After all, he was the first to bring 007 to life. Ultimately, Sean was in seven of the movies, starting with 1962's 'Dr. No.' However, USA Today reports the actor actually quit the franchise after 1967's 'You Only Live Twice.'

It's said Sean was fed up with Bond, but he returned in 1971 for 'Diamonds are Forever,' with a hefty paycheck being the thing to change his mind. Express reports Sean was offered $1.25 million for his comeback, something Sean donated to the Scottish International Education Trust. Ultimately, he made one more Bond movie before finally calling it quits.

The studio was desperate to have Sean Connery return to the franchise in 2012

When Sean Connery walked away from the ‘James Bond’ franchise, the studios needed someone else to bring the spy to life, settling on George Lazenby. However, he only lasted one movie and was later replaced with another legendary Bond: Roger Moore. Still, Sean might be the most memorable James Bond of them all, something the filmmakers knew.

Daniel Craig has been the latest to appear as James Bond - even though he has since quit the franchise - and appeared in five movies, including 2012's ‘Skyfall.’ Apparently, the filmmakers were desperate to get Sean to make an appearance in the production, but the actor was several years into his retirement, and the cameo never came to anything.

Ian Fleming wasn’t convinced by the actor as Bond but later changed the character in honor of him

One thing many people forget is that ‘James Bond’ was initially a series of books before it was translated to the big screen. Ian Fleming was the one behind it all, with producer Cubby Broccoli initially bringing the film franchise to life. Apparently, Cubby’s wife, Dana, was the one to convince the producer to cast Sean Connery as Bond.

The issue? Ian initially worried that he wasn’t the right fit, admitting the actor wasn’t “what I envisioned of James Bond looks.” and that he was “looking for Commander Bond and not an overgrown stuntman.” After the success of ‘Dr. No,’ Ian was so impressed that he later wrote a half-Swiss, half-Scottish heritage for Bond in honor of Sean.

The actor thinks Terence Young is the one who really brought on-screen Bond to life

Of course, getting a franchise off the ground can be a huge undertaking, but it seemed Sean Connery and the team had everything they needed to make 'James Bond' the success they always knew he could be. Still, everyone has their own idea about who made the spy thriller series so great, with Sean thinking it's down to Terence Young.

The actor admitted he believed the director was the one to shape 007's on-screen persona, telling Variety his "contributions were enormous" in more ways than one. Sean stated Terence was "very much up on the latest shirts and blazers," making him "very elegant." and it's something that Sean could use and adapt into his portrayal of the super spy.

Sean Connery’s first James Bond weapon sold for a staggering price at auction

Playing the first James Bond - and seeing the franchise become what it is today - means it might be no surprise that Sean Connery’s portrayal of the super spy is the one so many think about when they picture the character. It’s also why any memorabilia from Sean’s movie is in such hot demand all these years later.

In December 2020, the prop weapon Sean used in ‘Dr. No’ sold at auction for $250,000. Apparently, the former owner found a buyer shortly after the actor’s passing and was worried it would seem in bad taste. However, he admitted he’d been trying to sell it for two months before the news broke, and it was merely a coincidence.

He struggled to break away from his time as James Bond

Even though he appeared in a host of roles before and after his time as James Bond, bringing the spy to life was such a big part of Sean Connery’s career that he struggled to shake the franchise, even when other actors stepped into the character. Sean even played Robin Hood in the 1976 romantic adventure movie ‘Robin and Marian.’

Still, nothing was enough to truly break away. Thankfully, the Oscars finally awarded Sean for one of his other roles in the crime drama ‘The Untouchables,’ helping Sean to create a little bit of distance between himself and the spy franchise. Throughout his career, the actor earned a staggering 38 awards, including an AFI Life Achievement and three Golden Globes.

Some people believed Sean Connery wore a hairpiece while playing James Bond

Playing James Bond so many times meant people really learned how to pick Sean Connery out of a crowd. However, it was being such a big part of the franchise that led many fans to speculate something was up with Sean, specifically, his hair. Eventually, his baldness became a part of Sean’s iconic look on the big screen.

However, there were rumors that Sean had been losing his hair while filming ‘James Bond’ and that he wore a hairpiece to cover the baldness. While he never addressed the rumors, it’s something people have been speculating about ever since, only adding to the mystery Sean always kept around his private life despite his fame.

The actor later confessed he started to lose his hair at 35 years old

When promoting the action thriller movie ‘The Rock’ in 1996, Sean Connery started to open up about his journey with his hair, admitting he started balding as early as 35 years old. He had already been cast as James Bond, but Sean didn’t think this was something that would hold him back. Instead, he believed it was natural.

However, Sean did have strong words for people who attempted to overcompensate for losing their hair. The actor thought it was “really stupid” to see people with “a wisp of hair that’s 8 feet long” that’s been “coiled around” and “nailed” to the back of their head. In fact, Sean likened it to “a snake that’s about to take off.”

Sean Connery almost walked away from Highlander following an on-set incident

Just because millions of people remember Sean Connery as James Bond doesn’t mean that’s the case for everyone. In fact, some people remember the star as Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez from the 1986 fantasy action-adventure movie ‘Highlander.’ It instantly became a cult classic and spawned a host of sequels. The twist? Sean almost walked away from the project.

Director Russell Mulcahy admitted it followed an altercation between Sean and his co-star Clancy Brown. He told The Guardian they were filming a fight where Clancy was meant to slice a table with his sword. However, the stunt went wrong and caused the blade to fly “over Sean’s head.” Clancy put it down to nerves, apologized, and thankfully, Sean stayed.

Michael Bay praised the actor for having his back when working on The Rock

If there’s one thing we know director Michael Bay for, it’s his love of explosions. However, it seems things can often get a little explosive behind the scenes, too, with Sean Connery once stepping in to help when the director had the studio executives on his back. At the time, the pair were working on ‘The Rock.’

Michael admitted to The Hollywood Reporter after Sean’s passing that he was feeling down on set, with Sean asking what was wrong. When the director explained he was being hassled by the executives for being two days over schedule, Sean had lunch with them, praising Michael’s work and stating they needed more money to complete the job. Amazingly, it worked.

Nicolas Cage revealed Sean Connery had a fun side in between takes

Plenty of people have spoken about the incredible things Sean Connery achieved throughout his career, especially since his passing. A common theme is how dedicated he was to his work, but that’s not all. Nicolas Cage also shared a comical moment with Entertainment Tonight that he enjoyed with the actor during their time together filming ‘The Rock.’

Apparently, the pair would often share a drink after filming for the day and spent most evenings talking well into the night about the production. Supposedly, Nic also noticed that Sean “likes to sing” and that he would do so “in between shots.” Sadly, no one ever caught the moment on film, but it’s something Nic still holds close.

David Mamet admitted the actor was incredibly kind to his struggling cousin

Sean Connery only ever made one acceptance speech at the Oscar, thanks to his role as Jimmy Malone in ‘The Untouchables.’ Later, David Mamet - the man who wrote Sean’s dialog - spoke about his memories of the actor with The Hollywood Reporter. Here, David spoke about talking to Sean following his first time in a ‘James Bond’ movie.

David admitted that his cousin was going through a hard time as she was going through a failed marriage, her children were sick, and her husband had just lost his job. Still, she asked David to pass on her regards when Sean arrived. After hearing about her predicament, Sean supposedly called and spoke to David’s cousin “for half an hour.”

Alec Baldwin got to keep a The Hunt for Red October souvenir thanks to Sean Connery

Plenty of actors want to take something from the set of their movies to remember the moment, and Alec Baldwin was no exception when he worked on the 1990 thriller movie ‘The Hunt for Red October.’ After Sean Connery’s passing, Alec took to social media to talk about a moment he will never forget from working together.

Alec admitted he really wanted the leather jacket from the movie, only for Sean to learn this and fund the costume department to make a replica for the actor. As well as having something touching to always remember the actor, Alec admitted he “learned so much” as Sean was “so kind” and “so warm, which he didn’t have to be.”

O.J. Simpson has spoken about a little-known game of gold the pair shared

Celebrities were quick to pay their respects to Sean Connery when he lost his life, but one moment that he might have preferred to remain buried was a story from O.J. Simpson. That didn’t stop the former athlete and controversial figure from speaking out about the time he met Sean at an exclusive Californian country club.

Apparently, the club didn’t have many members at the time, and he ended up “playing nine holes” with Sean. O.J. continued to add the actor was “a total gentleman,” and he eventually invited Sean to a Lakers game. The pair supposedly had fun, even though they were seated pretty high up and not courtside as they expected.

Steven Spielberg wanted Sean Connery to return to the Indiana Jones franchise

It's perhaps no secret that 'Indiana Jones' is a hugely successful franchise. The action-adventure movies have seen Harrison Ford bring the archaeologist to life for decades, with Sean Connery once joining the franchise as Henry Jones Sr. - Indiana's dad - in 1989's 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.' This was the final movie for almost 20 years.

In 2008, 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' cleaned up at the box office, taking in more than $790 million, but it wasn't a hit with the viewers as expected. At the time, Sean had been retired for a few years, but he was actually asked by director Steven Spielberg to return to the franchise.

The actor responded the part was too small and asked his character to be written out

They say that if you don't ask, you don't get. The issue? Sometimes, even asking someone for something doesn't get you the things you want, which is what Steven Spielberg was about to learn after talking to Sean Connery. The Hollywood Reporter later reported that things "didn't work out" between the pair and Sean's return to the franchise.

The actor stated it "was not that generous a part" and wasn't "worth getting back into the harness" following his retirement. To make matters worse, Sean believed they had "taken the story in a different direction" and that his return wouldn't add anything. Instead, Sean confessed he suggested Spielberg end his character's life to get him out of the franchise.

He landed a part in Time Bandits after a joke became serious

Even though things didn't work out with his 'Indiana Jones' return, it seems other things took an unexpected turn when it came to Sean Connery's career. Specifically, the adventure fantasy 'Time Bandits' was a role that almost didn't happen, especially as Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin initially suggested Sean play Agamemnon as a joke behind the scenes.

That's why the pair were supposedly so surprised when they learned Sean had heard about the role and was interested in taking part. Denis O'Brien's company was producing the film and later told The Hollywood Reporter he mentioned the part over golf. Assuming Sean was a fan of the comedy troupe 'Monty Python,' the rest was seemingly history.

There was a chance Sean Connery could have played Gandalf in The Lord of The Rings

Being such a legendary name in the industry meant Sean Connery was always getting offers for a host of movies and box office hits. Although some roles were never going to come his way, it might be little surprise that some big names wanted to work with the star throughout his career, including a part in a legendary fantasy franchise.

That’s right; it’s said Sean was once offered a part in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, where they hoped the actor would take the role of Gandalf. Although the pair ultimately went to Ian McKellen, things could have been very different if Sean had become a part of the franchise. Still, there was a reason he turned it down.

It’s been reported the actor rejected the offer - and is glad that he did

Celebrity Net Worth later reported Sean Connery was offered a staggering $30 million for the part of Gandalf as well as 15% of box office returns. While it was a huge amount, it wasn’t enough to see Sean sign up for the trilogy. However, The New Zealand Herald later reported the actor did, in fact, read the script.

The issue? Sean admitted that even after he read the script and saw the movie, he “still [didn’t] understand it.” Apparently, Sean wasn’t alone in his thoughts, with plenty of fans of the franchise being outspoken about moments they still don’t get to date. However, the actor did admit that Ian McKellen was “marvelous” in the role.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen seemed to have everything it needed to succeed

At the time, it seemed that the steampunk superhero movie ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ had everything it needed to thrive. After all, it was adapted from a set of comic books and was directed by Stephen Norrington, who had already achieved incredible things by adapting the superhero ‘Blade’ comics for the big screen in 1998.

Amazingly, Alan Moore, one of the creators of the original comic book series, was against the project, but that didn’t stop some huge names from joining ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.’ Sean Connery was one on the list. However, no one had any idea the 2003 movie would be the actor’s final on-screen role of his career.

The movie was enough to see Sean Connery quit Hollywood for good

Even though it was meant to be a great moment in Sean Connery’s career, the experience was supposedly anything less than extraordinary for the actor while making the movie. In fact, things were so bad that ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ saw Sean walk away from Hollywood for good, later confirming as much during a 2007 interview.

Here, Sean admitted that Stephen Norrington was “given $85 million to make a movie in Prague” but suggested he “wasn’t certified before he stated,” otherwise, the actor thinks the director “would have been arrested for insanity.” Sean even stated he was “heavily involved” with the production and editing to try and “salvage” what they could of the movie.

The actor had already been open about wanting to know every step of filming each movie

Following Sean Connery's passing, screenwriter Brian Koppleman opened up about memories he shared with the actor. Apparently, Brian was working with screenwriter and director David Levian on a script with Sean and were ready to go ahead and start filming when an unnamed director came into the picture. It's sad that's where the issues began.

David continued to add on social media that there was "a tricky action sequence under water" the new director wanted to film, and Sean immediately asked how he was "planning to shoot it." When the director replied, 'I'll use movie magic,' Brian said you could "hear the silent anger" from Sean. Apparently, he wanted to know everything step by step.

Sean Connery ultimately pulled the plug on the movie and never returned to acting

After supposedly refusing to tell Sean Connery how he was going to keep everyone safe on the set of the movie, Brian Koppleman alleged things got worse when the anonymous director missed a call with Sean but was spotted watching the French Open. That was supposedly enough to see the actor jump ship from the entire thing.

After being burned by ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,’ Sean called time on his career and refused to act again. Plenty of people have speculated who could have been the director in question, with people theorizing it’s Brett Ratner and the unmade 2004 movie could have been ‘Josiah’s Canon.’ Still, no one has ever confirmed the rumors.