Joanna Pettet, the London-born Hollywood actress known for her role in the 1967 James Bond satire Casino Royale and as one of the last people to see Sharon Tate alive, died on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at the age of 83. Her death was confirmed by friend and actress Pam DuBois in a Facebook post, which noted the poignant date: the 31st anniversary of the death of Pettet's only child, Damien Zach. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Life and Career Highlights
Pettet's big-screen credits include playing Mata Bond in the 1967 Bond spoof Casino Royale, starring opposite Terence Stamp in 1968's Blue, and appearing in the 1969 Victorian comedy The Best House in London. However, she was best known for extensive television work on series such as Route 66, The Doctors, Dr. Kildare, Mannix, Night Gallery, Thriller, Police Woman, Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, Hotel, and Murder, She Wrote. Her final role was in the 1990 thriller Terror in Paradise, after which she retired from acting in her 40s.
Connection to Sharon Tate and Pop Culture
On August 8, 1969, Pettet had lunch at the home of Sharon Tate, just hours before members of the Manson Family murdered the pregnant actress. Pettet was thus one of the last people to see Tate alive. Quentin Tarantino included this lunch in his 2019 film Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, with Rumer Willis portraying Pettet.
Personal Tragedy and Later Years
Pettet's only child, Damien Zach, died at age 26 on July 7, 1995. Although his biological father was actor Terence Stamp, Damien took the surname Cord after Pettet married American actor Alex Cord in 1968, three and a half months before Damien's birth. In recent years, Pettet spoke about abuse she and Damien suffered at the hands of Alex Cord, who died on August 9, 2021, at age 88 in Valley View, Texas.
In 2021, Pettet suffered a serious accident while searching for rocks for her garden in a remote area of Anza, California. According to reports, "the earth gave way," leaving her pinned under a boulder for three hours. She required surgery to replace her shoulder and rotator cuff and spent years recovering.
