Judi Dench is a British actress who is most recognized for playing ‘M’ in the 007 James Bond films. She appeared in “Hamlet,” a production of the Old Vic Company, at the Royal Court Theatre as Ophelia. Later, she became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing in several productions, including “The Cherry Orchard” at the Aldwych Theatre. She also played Lady Macbeth in a play by the Playhouse Company. Both her big-screen and television debuts were in the BBC series “Hilda Lessways” and “The Third Secret,” respectively. Over the course of her career, she has received over 200 nominations and over 50 awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in “Shakespeare in Love.” The Order of the British Empire (OBE), Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), and a fellow of the British Film Institute (BFI) are among the titles and honors bestowed upon her. She had an actress daughter named Tara Cressida Frances Williams through her marriage to British actor Michael Williams. She is still actively involved in numerous charity endeavors at the age of 80 and has no plans to give up performing.
Early Childhood & Life
Eleanora Olive and Reginald Arthur Dench welcomed Judith Olivia Dench into the world on December 9, 1934, in Heworth, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. Her mother was a wardrobe mistress, while her father was a doctor. Her older brother Jeffery Dench, who is also an actor, was a major influence on her decision to enter the business.
She attended the all-girls Mount School, and as a result of the school’s influence, she became a Quaker. Her father worked as the York Theatre’s resident physician, which put her in close touch with several actors. She spent some time at the York School of Art honing her design skills before becoming interested in theater. After that, she enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she participated in several productions.
The career of Judi Dench
In ‘Hamlet’, an Old Vic Company production, she made her stage debut at the Royal Court Theatre in 1957 as Ophelia. She traveled to the US, Canada, and Yugoslavia during her four years with the organization.
She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1961, performing at the Aldwych Theatre in “The Cherry Orchard.” The following year, she took up the part of Isabella in Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure.” She also played Lady Macbeth in a play by the Playhouse Company.
She made her acting debut in the 1964 British drama film “The Third Secret” and appeared briefly in the 1965 Sherlock Holms film “A Study in Terror.” Additionally, in 1959, she made her television debut in the BBC series “Hilda Lessways.”
For her part in the movie “Four in the Morning,” for which she won the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles in 1966, she got her big break. A second BAFTA Television Best Actress Award for her work in the 1968 BBC drama “Talking to a Stranger” came shortly after. That year, she also made an appearance in the musical “Cabaret.”
She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company again and performed often there for the following 20 years. She has performed in a variety of parts in the comedies Trevor Nunn’s and The Comedy of Errors as well as the tragic piece The Duchess of Malfi.
Before playing the role of ‘M’ in the James Bond films ‘Licence to Kill’ (1989) and ‘Golden Eye’ (1995), she had appearances in a number of popular films. She became known for playing a tough figure that was modeled after MI5 head Stella Remington. She has continued to play the part ever since.
In addition to her role as “M,” Dench has played a powerful character in a number of films. She received rave acclaim for her performances in “Mrs. Brown,” “Chocolat,” and “Mrs. Henderson Presents” in the late 1990s and early 2000s, roles that earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She won the award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in “Shakespeare in Love.”
Bigger Works of Judi Dench
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1968), A Room with a View (1985), Golden Eye (1995), Shakespeare in Love (1998), Die Another Day (2002), Pride and Prejudice (2005), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Murder on the Oriental Express (2017), and Nothing Like a Dame (2018) are just a few of the movies she has acted in.
Pericles (1968), The Good Companions (1974), A Little Night Music (1995), Spaceship Earth (2008), and Nine (2009) are among the albums she has released.
Recognition & Achievements
With more than 200 nominations during her lengthy career, she has won more than 50 honors. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in “Shakespeare in Love,” the Academy of Interactive Arts & Science Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance – Female for “Golden Eye: Rogue Agent,” six BAFTA film awards, and four BAFTA television awards, among others.
Two Screen Actors Guild Awards for “Chocolat” and two Golden Globe Awards for “Mrs. Brown” and “The Last of the Blonde Bombshells” are among her other notable honors.
She has won ten honorary degrees, including a BAFTA fellowship and the Special Olivier Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Judi Dench was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honor (CH) in 2005, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970, a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1988, and a fellow of the British Film Institute (BFI) in 2011.
Personal Legacy & Life
After nearly ten years of courtship, she wed British actor Michael Williams in February 1971. They had a daughter named Tara Cressida Frances Williams, who went on to become an actress. To conceive a second child, the couple applied for adoption, but they were denied. When she was 62 years old, she had grandchildren. She has kept a variety of pets, including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, fish, and a race horse. She is an animal lover.
Before his death from lung cancer in 2001, her husband co-starred with her in a number of stage and television productions. She wasn’t ready for a new relationship after her spouse passed away until she began dating naturalist David Mills in 2010.
She supports more than 180 charitable initiatives focused on promoting health, good hygiene, and the eradication of poverty. She served as the president of numerous organizations that support the arts, including Questors Theatre and Mountview Academy of Arts.
In Botswana and Colombo, she collaborated with non-governmental organizations to advocate for the wellbeing of tribal people. She also supports the Karuna Trust, an organization in India that works to advance the rights of Dalits.
She became a patron of the Everton in the Community charity project after pledging her allegiance to the Everton Football Club.
She began experiencing macular degeneration as she grew older, which makes it difficult for her to read. In 2013, she also required knee surgery, from which she made a good recovery. She does not, however, intend to retire, and she views age simply as a number.
Judi Dench’s Net Worth
Trivia
She won the “Academy Award” in 1999 for her six-minute portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in “Shakespeare in Love,” which holds the record for the second-shortest Oscar-winning performance.
She is the first female actor to play the role of “M” in the James Bond film series.