Pierce Brosnan Pleads Not Guilty to Yellowstone Violations

UPDATE Jan 17, 2024 10:45 AM CST

Pierce Brosnan is claiming innocence after authorities claimed he ventured into restricted areas of Yellowstone. The actor has pleaded not guilty to two violations stemming from Nov. 1, the BBC reports. That's despite the fact that the 70-year-old actor who once played James Bond "appears to have forgotten his lessons in spy secrecy, posting photos that look like they're from the off-limits area," TMZ reports, sharing one photo that looks to show Brosnan standing in snow in front of Yellowstone's Mammoth Terraces, rather than on the boardwalk. An initial hearing set for Jan. 23 has been pushed back to Feb. 20 and will take place virtually, per the BBC. Brosnan could face up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted.

Dec 28, 2023 1:30 AM CST

A former 007 stands accused of walking in thermal areas at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Pierce Brosnan, who played James Bond in four of the spy franchise's flicks, allegedly stepped off the trail upon which visitors are meant to stay in order to keep away from the park's famous hot springs and geysers, CNN and NBC Montana report, citing court documents that list a Beverly Hills address for the defendant. "Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations," the park says on its website, warning that the ground in certain areas "may be only a thin crust above boiling hot springs," with no way to tell if it's a safe place to stand. Plus, the park adds, some "pools are acidic enough to burn through boots."

The two petty offenses Brosnan was cited for are listed as "Foot travel in all thermal areas and [within] Yellowstone Canyon confined to trails" and "Violating closures and use limits." People reports that the documents were filed in court Tuesday but list November 1 as the date of the alleged incident; the magazine notes he was in Wyoming in October filming the upcoming Western The Unholy Trinity. The 70-year-old has been ordered to appear in court in Wyoming on January 23. He has not commented publicly. (More Pierce Brosnan stories.)