Pierce Brosnan Pleads Guilty To Wandering Off A Trail In Yellowstone And He's Incredibly Sorry About It

Pierce Brosnan stared-down a lot of hairy situations during his time as James Bond, but in the real world, he ran into some real trouble in Yellowstone National Park.

On Thursday, according to the Associated Press, the 70-year-old actor pleaded guilty over the phone to walking off a boardwalk and into a thermal area at the park back in November of last year.

Brosnan was slapped with a $500 fine and ordered to dish out a further $1,000 donation for a non-profit that supports the park.

That's a hefty fine for stepping off a trail, but I'm sure 007 is good for it.

Of course, it's a bit more than stepping off a trail. Guests visiting Yellowstone have to stay in marked areas in thermal areas for a pretty good reason and that is that active thermal areas are dangerous.

The ground can be thin, and considering Yellowstone sits over a giant volcano, one wrong step could mean dropping into a pool of boiling water. 

Brosnan explained himself in an Instagram post, which is ironic considering he claimed to have stepped off the marked boardwalk to snag a photo.

"As an environmentalist I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world," he began for some reason. I'm not sure why he felt compelled to add that part. I don't think anyone was under any impression that 1990s James Bond stepped off a boardwalk to stick it to nature.

"However, I made an impulsive mistake - one that I do not take lightly - when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph," Brosnan said. "I did not see a "No Trespassing" sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area."

We all make mistakes. Maybe we haven't wandered into an active thermal area.

But I want you to think of celebrity apologies from the past. We've seen people do much worse and offer half-assed mea culpas.

Brosnan is very sorry. Almost too sorry.

"I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area," he said. "Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy."

I like Yellowstone too, but jeez, Pierce. You accidentally trespassed for the Gram. No need to apologize like your car careened into a bunch of kids waiting for a school bus.

Still, apology accepted.

This goes to show that as far as celebrities go — and despite having a license to kill — Brosnan looks to be about as squeaky clean as they come.