Spending time with his mother Mary May Smith was clearly at the top of Pierce Brosnan’s list of priorities soon after he arrived in London recently.
But as the mother and son strolled outside the Royal Court Theatre, one thing stood out – Pierce’s wedding ring finger was uncharacteristically bare.
The rare absence of the actor’s wedding ring quickly sparked speculation about his long and happy marriage to Keely Shaye Smith.
ON THE ROCKS?
The idea there could be trouble in paradise for beloved couple Pierce, 71, and Keely, 60, would come as a shock to their fans, given their constant displays of love for one another and their recent tropical holiday together for the actor’s 71st birthday.
The James Bond actor is so attached to his wedding ring, he even wore it for his character in 2022 film Black Adam as a tribute to his wife!
“Pierce is so devoted to Keely he never takes his wedding ring off, which is why this has set off some alarm bells,” an insider tells Woman’s Day.
“They have been at odds over his working schedule and him taking on too much, so with all the under-the-radar divorces Hollywood’s faced recently, it’s easy to assume the worst.
“Thankfully, it’s unlikely to come to that as Pierce is a strict Irish Catholic and would never willingly divorce,” says the source.
‘HARDSHIPS’ OVER TIME
That’s not to say that Pierce and Keely haven’t had their share of problems throughout the course of their 23-year marriage. Only late last year the seasoned actor admitted he and Keely were just like any couple who faced “hardships” in their relationship.
“We’ve been down the road, and we’ve seen many, many hardships as families do, as we all do,” revealed Pierce, who shares sons Paris, 23, and Dylan, 27, with Keely.
While many Hollywood marriages have crumbled under pressure, the actor insists overcoming these hurdles has made their relationship stronger.
“We like each other a lot. We love each other a lot,” Pierce says. “Watching someone grow up with you and grow old with you is a very spiritual journey. To watch each other change… whatever it may be, the hair, the waist. But it’s the love in the heart.”
His comments about lasting love were even more poignant after online commentators cruelly body-shamed Keely.
The actor has also praised his wife for supporting his Hollywood career, saying, “She allows me to go out into the wild blue yonder and do what I do as a man, as an actor.”
‘KEELY’S WORRIED’
However, it’s Pierce’s latest spy project Black Bag in London that has some concerned about the state of his marriage after his bare ring finger was revealed, with Keely believed to have remained in the US.
“Even though Pierce tries to keep his wedding ring on when he’s in a movie, the most likely scenario is [director] Steven Soderbergh wants it off for a scene.
“That’s certainly what everyone is – the alternative would be just devastating.”
And a source tells Woman’s Day that Keely is concerned with the action-packed scenes Pierce is taking on.
“Keely has been worried about him getting back into action roles and she’s made him promise to use a stunt double when he can,” the insider says. “It’s not that he’s unwell – it’s more that he forgets he’s in his 70s.”
