Judi Dench

Lore & Background

Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company, performing in several of Shakespeare's plays as Ophelia, Juliet, and Lady Macbeth. She won a BAFTA Award as Most Promising Newcomer and drew excellent reviews for her leading role of Sally Bowles in the musical Cabaret in 1968. Over the next two decades, she established herself as one of the most significant British theatre performers, working for the National Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Dench received critical acclaim for her television work, including starring roles in the romantic comedy series A Fine Romance (1981–1984) and As Time Goes By (1992–2005). Her film appearances were infrequent until she rose to international fame as M in GoldenEye (1995), a role she played in eight James Bond films until her final cameo in Spectre (2015). She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1998).

Dench was born in York to an English father and an Irish mother. Her father was a doctor, and her mother was wardrobe mistress at the York Theatre Royal. Dench attended the Mount School, a Quaker independent secondary school, and became a Quaker. She initially trained as a set designer before being accepted by the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she was a classmate of Vanessa Redgrave and graduated with four acting prizes, including the Gold Medal as Outstanding Student.

Reader's Guide

Dench's significance lies in her seven-decade career across theatre, television, and film, marked by numerous major awards including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Golden Globes, and multiple BAFTAs and Olivier Awards. She is widely considered one of Britain's greatest actresses, noted for her versatile roles. Her portrayal of M in the James Bond franchise brought her international fame, while her Oscar-winning performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love and other nominated roles in films such as Mrs Brown, Chocolat, Iris, Mrs Henderson Presents, Notes on a Scandal, Philomena, and Belfast demonstrate her range. Dench also received several honorary awards, including the BAFTA Fellowship Award, the Society of London Theatre Special Award, and the British Film Institute Fellowship Award. Her legacy includes her work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre Company, as well as her influence on British acting.

Did You Know?

• Dench made her professional stage debut in 1957 as Ophelia in Hamlet with the Old Vic Company.
• She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1998).
• Dench played M in eight James Bond films, from GoldenEye (1995) to Spectre (2015).
• She is a direct descendant of Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth, and is distantly related to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.