Interview with Barbara Carrera about her art and stunning Sean Connery portrait

By: Mark Cerulli

Published:
2024-07-12

Barbara Carrera, Sean Connery, portrait, artist

In an exclusive interview for From Sweden with Love, Golden Globe nominated Never Say Never Again actress Barbara Carrera talks about her art – and her stunning portrait of Sir Sean Connery. It is believed to be the only portrait of Sean Connery, created by someone he worked with, commercially available.

When do you take a selfie in a celebrity’s bathroom? Why, when it’s Never Say Never Again star, Barbara Carrera and her oil portrait of Sean Connery is hanging on the wall. Then and ONLY then! That was in 2015... I thought my only memory of her brilliant portrait would be that quick selfie in the loo, so imagine my surprise when From Sweden with Love founder and George Lazenby manager Anders Frejdh sent me a late-night email saying that FSWL exclusively would be offering a limited edition of the same Connery artwork. Each print personally signed and numbered by Barbara Carrera. A few days later, I confessed my stealth photography to Fatima Blush herself.

“Well, you’re not the only one,” Barbara laughed, before talking about her love of art. “I have been painting since the 1980s,” the star said, adding, “I never studied art. It was a gift I was born with.” Even though she didn’t formally study painting, Ms. Carrera did study the work of the Great Masters. “I loved their command of shadows and light.” She counts Italy’s Caravaggio as an inspiration, along with Dutch Golden Age painter Vermeer.

“Painting takes me to another dimension,” Barbara enthused, “when I paint a portrait, I become really involved with the subject... it becomes part of my life when I’m doing it.”

So, for two full months, Barbara lived Sean Connery as she painted him from memory and photos. When asked about her impression of the movie legend, Barbara recalled that to land the Fatima Blush role, she had to meet with the man himself as Connery had final casting approval. She drove to the Warner Bros lot and had a brief meeting with director Irvin Kershner and Big Tam – who was on his way to a golf game. “He was dressed in golf attire, and he took one look at me and said, ‘She’ll do’, then he was out the door.” And what was he like in person? “He was my Bond, eh? I looked at him and saw James Bond.”

Sean Connery, Barbara Carrera, Never Say Never Again

Sean Connery, Barbara Carrera, Never Say Never Again

Sean Connery and Barbara Carrera in a promotion photo for Never Say Never Again.

Her unique painting of Connery was part of a Hollywood Legends series that she did of “the old-time actors I worked with when they were alive.” Screen icons like Rock Hudson (1976’s Embryo), Paul Newman (1980s’ When Time Ran Out) and Burt Lancaster (1977’s The Island of Dr. Moreau).

As for Connery, she sent him photos of the finished artwork and he approved. “Oh, he liked it,” the artist adds, proudly.

Barbara’s fine art limited edition are Giclee prints that look just like the original. “If you look at it, it looks like oil and canvas” she adds.

All prints will be signed by the artist herself and 20% of every sale goes to The Sean Connery Foundation. Only 200 prints will ever be made, so this is a rare chance to own a portrait that previously was only viewable in Barbara Carrera’s Hollywood home. Just make sure to free up some wall space because at 30x40 inches, it’s as commanding as Sir Sean himself!

To order an Limited edition signed canvas print of Barbara Carrera's original portrait of Sean Connery, click here.

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Interview with Barbara Carrera about her art and stunning Sean Connery portrait

“Painting takes me to another dimension,” Barbara enthused, “when I paint a portrait, I become really involved with the subject... it becomes part of my life when I’m doing it.”

As for Connery, she sent him photos of the finished artwork and he approved. “Oh, he liked it,” the artist adds, proudly.

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