Ukraine’s Olga Kurylenko wins role as new Bond girl

A former Ukrainian model will be the next Bond girl, pipping British actress Gemma Arterton to the role. Olga Kurylenko, 28, will play an alluring character named Camille in the 22nd movie in the franchise. Although relatively unknown, model-turned-actor Kurylenko has already notched up several film roles. She most recently appeared in Hitman (pictured above with co-star Timothy Olyphant), an adaptation of the video game, and co-starred opposite Elijah Wood in Paris, Je T'aime in 2006.

Filming for Bond 22, with Daniel Craig playing Bond for the second time, is already under way in London and the film is due to be released in November. Producers have promised that Camille, as a 21st-century Bond girl, will be more than just eye candy. Kurylenko's character will reportedly help 007 come to terms with the betrayal by Vesper Lynd, Casino Royale's lead femme fatale, played by Eva Green.

Previous reports had suggested that Arterton, who plays the head girl in the remake of St Trinian's, had been cast as 007's sidekick. The British actress will now play a more minor role, as MI6 Agent Fields. Also joining the cast is French actor Mathieu Amalric, who recently starred in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Amalric will play Bond nemesis Dominic Greene.