Judy Dench, 88, Can No Longer Read And See Normally, And 5+ More Facts About Her Life and Regrets

Judi Dench, the acclaimed British actress, remains captivating, showcasing her incredible talent through a prolific career of more than six decades. As we commemorate her 88th birthday, delve into intriguing, lesser-known details about this legendary icon within the entertainment realm.

Dench pioneered James Bond.

Indeed, Judi Dench made a significant impact as M in the James Bond film series. She became the first female to portray the character, bringing her own unique style and presence to the role. Dench’s portrayal of M spanned seven films, starting with Golden Eye (1995) and concluding with Skyfall (2012), with a brief cameo in Spectre (2015).

Her performance as M garnered critical acclaim and earned her a dedicated fan following. Being crowned “the ultimate Bond girl” in a Cineworld Unlimited poll is a testament to her lasting impression on audiences.

She can no longer read or write due to age-related macular degeneration.

AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) is a degenerative eye condition that can challenge one’s vision. Despite facing this condition, Judi Dench remains determined to pursue her acting career. She has mentioned that she plans to rely on her photographic memory to learn her lines in the future. Dench’s resilience and determination to continue her craft serve as an inspiration to many.

She loves gardening.

Outside of acting, Dench is passionate about gardening. She has a deep love for nature and has even hosted a television program titled “Judi Dench: My Passion for Trees,” exploring her interest in trees and their role in the environment.

Dench has never had plastic surgery, nor does she plan to.

Judi Dench has expressed her preference to embrace the natural process of aging gracefully. While she has considered plastic surgery in the past, she believes it is now too late for her, stating that she is “too old” for such procedures. Dench’s perspective reflects her acceptance of her age and the desire to remain true to herself as she continues to make her mark in the acting industry. The actress explained, “I wonder if there is some process where it could all be sucked out, and I could be out of there in time for dinner, but I’m frightened it would all drop off under the anesthetic.”

She regrets not having more children.

In an interview, Dench shared her desire to have at least six children, but unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition for her. It’s a personal aspect of her life that she opened up about, expressing her unfulfilled wish for a larger family. “I wanted a house full of them. I would have loved to have had that. But it didn’t happen. I didn’t get married until I was 36, so I left it a bit late,” she revealed.

Dench and her husband did consider adopting, but they faced challenges due to their age. Adoption agencies have specific age restrictions, and being over 40 might have been a factor in their case. However, Dench cherishes her bond with her daughter, Finty, and her grandson, Sam. Family is an important aspect of her life, and she finds happiness in her relationships with her loved ones.

She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress despite her short appearances in Shakespeare in Love.

She is one of the few performers to have won an Academy Award for a performance that lasts only a few minutes on screen. In the film Shakespeare in Love (1998), Dench portrayed Queen Elizabeth I and appeared in just about 8 minutes of the entire film.

Despite her brief appearance, her portrayal was so impactful that she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This achievement showcases not only Dench’s remarkable acting ability but also the power of a skilled performer to leave a lasting impression even in a short amount of screen time.

Her first acting role was portraying a snail.

At age 5, Judi Dench had a role as a snail in a school play. Wearing a large shell made by her father, she was supposed to crawl across the stage. However, she made a mistake and stood up, revealing herself under the costume. The audience kindly prompted her to continue crawling, highlighting a charming and humorous moment from Dench’s early acting career.

If you admire Judi Dench as much as we do, you may also like to see how actors from iconic film of the ’80s and ’90s look like now.