Sean Connery was the first and for many the one and only 007 in the history of cinema. He was born on 25 August 1925 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
At sixteen he joined the Royal Navy and, during that time, he got two tattoos. But, contrarily to people nowadays who tattoo their body just to look cool, his tattoos were two of his most profound believes and commitments: his family and Scotland.
He became worldwide famous as James Bond in Dr. No (1962). Since then, the legend began.
Sean Connery is universally recognized as a great movie actor. Among his most important achievements there are:
- Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (The Untouchables, 1987)
- two BAFTA Awards: Best Actor for (Der Name der Rose, 1986) and the BAFTA Fellowship (1998)
- three Golden Globes: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (The Untouchables), the Cecil B. DeMille Award and the Henrietta Award
But Sean Connery is a legend not because of his acting skills nor good looks. There are people that for some mysterious reasons, have something more than just talent or look. They don’t follow fashion and even if they do it, they always stand out, never confusing with the masses. I honestly don’t think these kind of people can be replaced.
Sean literally defined an era and his image and charm will go far beyond passing fashions. Just think about how we perceive and imagine how a spy looks and acts. Have you ever thought that actually the whole world would have a completely different idea about it, if the most famous spy aka James Bond was not intrinsically linked to the person of Sean Connery? We are talking about his public look, the idea that people have of him and how he looked through the years. Like a fine wine, he aged really well and, according to many, became better with age.
To have an idea of his personality, it suffices to report his words when, in 1989, People magazine voted him “Sexiest Man Alive”: “Well there aren’t many sexy dead men, are there.”
What Sean Connery represents
Sean Connery, of course, was a great inspiration for me growing as a man and especially as a gentleman. A true icon of style and manliness. He is an icon for men of the last generations and probably beyond. Sean Connery represents the quintessence of the classic masculinity, rough or perfectly dressed like a real gentleman. That’s why we love Sean Connery.
Goodbye Sean, welcome legend.