How Pierce Brosnan defended ‘most beautiful woman in the world’ Keely Shaye Smith against cruel jibes about her weight – as she shows off slimmer figure in sweet family photo

They have been married for over 25 years, and still their bond remains unbroken. 

Pierce Brosnan and his wife, Keely Shaye Smith, are often deemed one of Hollywood’s great love stories and after first meeting in Mexico in 1994, they are still just as loved up as they were then.

The James Bond actor, 73, famously calls Keely, 63, his ‘North Star’, and it’s no surprise seeing as she was his bedrock through decades of heartache. 

Pierce has also earned praise for his unwavering support and devotion to his wife, frequently standing up against cruel jibes about her weight and changing figure, declaring ‘I strongly love every curve of her body’.

The model-turned-journalist, who the 007 icon has branded ‘the most beautiful woman’, has faced years of intense online body-shaming and cruelty from vile internet trolls.

Since 2020, she has been on a weight-loss journey and has reportedly lost around 100lb (45kg).

This weekend, Keely showed off her slimmer figure in a satin slip dress in a sweet family photo, looking stunning next to her mother, Sharon Rose, to mark her 82nd birthday.

It comes four years after a cruel post about Keely’s weight went viral on Facebook after the couple celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary.

In the post, which has since been deleted, trolls compared how her body had changed since meeting Pierce.

The GoldenEye star made sure to defend his wife, replying: ‘Friends offered her surgery to reduce her weight. But I strongly love every curve of her body.

‘She is the most beautiful woman in my eyes. And also because she had our five children.

‘In the past, I truly loved her for her person, not only for her beauty, and now I’m loving her even more that she is my children’s mother.

‘And I am very proud of her, and I always seek to be worthy of her love.’

Pierce and Keely got married at Ballintubber Abbey in County Mayo, Ireland in August 2001, after having had two sons; Dylan in January 1997 and Paris in February 2001.

In 2024, Keely told Vogue: ‘I never shy away from… my curves. I never hide in baggy clothing.’

Pierce added: ‘I love my wife’s curves.’

Keely previously told People Magazine that she immediately found the Bond actor ‘captivating’ when they met and said he had a ‘mischievous sparkle in his eyes’.

In the same interview, the MobLand star said of his wife: ‘I found a great woman in Keely Shaye. Not if I searched a million times over would I find one as good.’

Last year, Pierce spoke lovingly of Keely again, telling Fox News: ‘She still makes my heart sing and she still makes my world turn.

‘She allows me to go out into the world and create what I do as an actor, and that takes strength and stamina. We just enjoy each other’s company.’

Celebrating Keely’s birthday in 2023, Pierce wrote: ‘Sixty roses for my brown-eyed girl on her 60th birthday.’

Referring to their first meeting, he added: ‘Forever happy and blessed was I to be sitting there when you walked around the corner early one morning in Cabo San Lucas.’

In June last year, Pierce detailed how he feels about Keely in the ‘blessed’ life they have created.

He said: ‘Keely and I love each other and are blessed to have each other as companions in this life. And we’ve created a good life for ourselves of hard work and perseverance of life.’

On the secret to a long marriage, he said: ‘You know, it’s just solving one problem after the [other], whether it’s the washing machine or how far the finances are going to go or what your dreams are.

‘But, ultimately, we just enjoy each other’s company enormously.’

In January, fans jumped to Keely’s defence after a troll uploaded comparison pictures of the couple.

One image had been of them at the Governors Ball for the Academy Awards in 1996, while the other showed them at the Mamma Mia! premiere in 2008.

The troll used the photos as a ‘reminder to avoid marriage’.

However, one X user said: ‘I don’t get some men on X devotion to degrade Brosnan’s wife. They’re both happy, aging gracefully, and she was and is absolutely gorgeous.’

Another wrote: ‘Pierce Brosnan’s won the lottery of life. Dude’s been married 30 years and they’ve both aged gracefully.’ 

In August, the couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, with Keely sharing a series of snaps of the pair from over the years on Instagram.

She captioned the post: ‘Happy 25th wedding anniversary my love! What an adventure life is with you. Looking forward to the next 25 years beside you @piercebrosnanofficial.’

Last month, the couple made a rare appearance together as they attended the Los Angeles premiere of Seniors alongside their two sons and their girlfriends.

Pierce is also father to Sean, 43, whom he had with his first wife Cassandra Harris, who passed away in 1991 at age 43 following a battle with ovarian cancer.

The actor adopted Harris’s two other children, Christopher and Charlotte, from her previous relationship. 

Gushing over how Keely has supported him in his grief for his first wife, he told the Irish Times in 2013: ‘Keely has always been kind and compassionate and encouraged me to mourn Cassie.

‘I suppose Keely is my North Star, always looking out for me.’

In 2013, Charlotte passed away at age 41 from ovarian cancer.

Later that year, he told the Irish Mirror how Keely had helped him through yet more grief for Charlotte.

He said: ‘Love is just the most beautiful, joyous feeling. It can come from many places. Hopefully the one who is beside you, the one who is there on the pillow beside you in the morning – my wife.’ 

 The actor added: ‘We seem to do well at being together and being in love and, more importantly, liking each other. The like factor is a great thing. Love cannot burn constantly.

‘It’s very hard for it to be so intense. But it’s wonderful. I tell her I love her everyday. It’s important to say that.’

After welcoming their two sons, they tied the knot in August 2001 during a romantic ceremony in Ireland.