During the filming of the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, the audience saw another confident and unshakable performance from Roger Moore as the legendary British spy James Bond. On screen, Moore’s Bond appeared fearless in every situation, whether confronting villains, racing through exotic locations, or battling enemies in elaborate action sequences. Yet behind the polished image of the suave agent, there were moments on set that revealed a very human side of the actor. One such moment reportedly occurred during the filming of a dramatic fight scene with the towering Bond villain Jaws, played by Richard Kiel.
According to recollections shared by Kiel in later interviews, the sequence was filmed on a narrow scaffold roughly 45 feet above the ground inside the massive Liparus tanker set constructed for the film’s climax. The set itself was one of the most ambitious in the Bond franchise at the time, built at Pinewood Studios to depict the interior of a supertanker that secretly housed captured submarines. The production spared no expense in creating an enormous industrial environment of metal walkways, suspended platforms, and towering structures, all designed to heighten the tension of the action scenes.
For Moore, however, the height of the scaffold presented a serious personal challenge. The actor had long admitted that he was uncomfortable with heights, a fact that contrasted sharply with the daring persona of James Bond. While stunt doubles were often used for the most dangerous sequences, certain moments still required Moore to perform on elevated structures for the sake of authenticity. As the cameras prepared to roll for the confrontation with Kiel’s character, Moore reportedly felt the full weight of that fear.
Kiel later described noticing the tension in his co-star before filming began. Despite Moore’s reputation for calm professionalism, the actor appeared visibly nervous as he stood near the edge of the scaffold. The drop below them was real, and the narrow platform left little room for comfort. According to the story, Moore asked a nearby crew member for a small beer, quickly drank it, and used the brief moment to steady his nerves before stepping into position.
Once the cameras began rolling, however, the fear vanished behind Moore’s trademark composure. Viewers watching the finished film would never suspect that the actor had been battling a phobia just moments earlier. The scene unfolds with the kind of confident wit and physical control audiences expected from Bond, reinforcing Moore’s reputation as one of the most charismatic actors to play the role.
Kiel often spoke with admiration about Moore’s professionalism during their collaborations. Standing at 7 feet 2 inches tall, Kiel’s imposing presence already made him an intimidating on-screen opponent. Yet Moore consistently approached the action scenes with humor and determination, even when they required him to confront personal fears. For Kiel, that moment on the scaffold revealed the quiet bravery behind Moore’s elegant performance style.
Stories like this help explain why Moore’s portrayal of James Bond remains beloved decades later. Beneath the tuxedo, charm, and clever one-liners was an actor who occasionally had to push himself far beyond his comfort zone to deliver the spectacle audiences expected. The result was a performance that felt effortless on screen—even when it required conquering real-life fears high above a film set.
Final interview with Richard Kiel, the man who played JAWS!! What a gentleman.
by u/Tokyono in JamesBond