Who Is Pierce Brosnan’s First Wife? Inside the Life and Career of Cassandra Harris

In a tale woven with love and loss, Pierce Brosnan grappled with the shadows of heartbreak after his first wife, Cassandra Harris, died of cancer decades ago.

Born in Sydney, Australia, on December 15, 1948, Harris was a force to be reckoned with in both the stage and the screen, performing in classics like Shadows (1978) and Enemy at the Door (1980). Her legacy later unfolded in Hollywood.

Harris first wed William Firth in 1964 but split in 1970. The same year, she found love with producer Dermot Harris (Richard Harris’ brother.) They welcomed their daughter, Charlotte, in 1971, followed by son Christopher in 1973, but they ended up divorcing in 1978.

She later on met Pierce through Richard’s nephew, David, marrying on December 27, 1980. The couple welcomed their son, Sean Brosnan, on September 13, 1983. After Dermot's death from a heart attack in 1986, Pierce legally adopted Cassandra’s children.

But in 1987, Cassandra faced the challenge that ended her life: ovarian cancer. Despite this, she faced the disease head-on, undergoing eight surgeries and countless rounds of chemotherapy.

But Cassandra later succumbed to the disease, on December 28, 1991 — just a day after her 43rd birthday. Cassandra’s own daughter Charlotte also succumbed to the same disease more than 20 years later at just 41.

Pierce reflected on his late wife’s cancer battle, saying they "really had a fight on our hands" from the very start.

But as time passed, love found its way back to him.

Nearly a decade later, in 1994, he met his current wife, entertainment journalist Keely Shaye Smith, in Cabo San Lucas. They tied the knot at Ireland's picturesque Ashford Castle in a lavish ceremony on August 4, 2001, and now, they celebrate their 23rd year as a married couple.