person image

Judi Dench

Born: 1934

Biography

Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA (born 9 December 1934) is an English film, stage and television actress. Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. She branched into film work, and won a BAFTA Award as Most Promising Newcomer; however, most of her work during this period was in theatre. Not generally known as a singer, she drew strong reviews for her leading role in the musical Cabaret in 1968. During 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. In television, she achieved success during this period, in the series A Fine Romance from 1981 until 1984 and in 1992 began a continuing role in the television romantic comedy series As Time Goes By. Her film appearances were infrequent until she was cast as M in GoldenEye (1995), a role she played in each James Bond film until Skyfall (2012). She received several notable film awards for her role as Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown (1997), and has since been acclaimed for her work in such films as Shakespeare in Love (1998), Chocolat (2000), Iris (2001), Mrs Henderson Presents (2005) and Notes on a Scandal (2006), and the television production The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2001). Regarded by critics as one of the greatest actresses of the post-war period, and frequently named as the leading British actress in polls, Dench has received many award nominations for her acting in theatre, film and television; her awards include ten BAFTAs, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award. She was married to actor Michael Williams from 1971 until his death in 2001. They are the parents of actress Finty Williams.
Known For Acting
Gender Female
Place of Birth York, North Yorkshire, England

Resources

Movies

Chocolat

Armande Voizin in Chocolat

Notes on a Scandal

Barbara Covett in Notes on a Scandal

Tomorrow Never Dies

M in Tomorrow Never Dies

GoldenEye

M in GoldenEye

Nine

Lilli in Nine

Hamlet

Hecuba in Hamlet

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Society Lady in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Shakespeare in Love

Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love

Tea with Mussolini

Arabella in Tea with Mussolini

Jack & Sarah

Margaret in Jack & Sarah

Henry V

Mistress Quickly in Henry V

The Chronicles of Riddick

Aereon in The Chronicles of Riddick

Quantum of Solace

M in Quantum of Solace

Mrs. Henderson Presents

Mrs. Laura Henderson in Mrs. Henderson Presents

Pride & Prejudice

Catherine de Bourgh in Pride & Prejudice

The Shipping News

Agnis Hamm in The Shipping News

A Room with a View

Eleanor Lavish in A Room with a View

Doogal

Narrator (voice) in Doogal

A Dairy Tale

Mrs. Calloway (voice) in A Dairy Tale

Iris

Iris Murdoch in Iris

The Importance of Being Earnest

Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest

Ladies in Lavender

Ursula in Ladies in Lavender

Allelujah

Mary in Allelujah

Bond Girls Are Forever

M (archive footage) in Bond Girls Are Forever

Rage

Mona Carvell in Rage

Home on the Range

Mrs. Caloway (voice) in Home on the Range

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth in Macbeth

Casino Royale

M in Casino Royale

Being James Bond

M (archive footage) in Being James Bond

The World Is Not Enough

M in The World Is Not Enough

Die Another Day

M in Die Another Day

A Study in Terror

Sally in A Study in Terror

Skyfall

M in Skyfall

Judi Dench Talks to Richard Eyre

Self in Judi Dench Talks to Richard Eyre

84 Charing Cross Road

Nora Doel in 84 Charing Cross Road

Bugs!

Narrator (voice) in Bugs!

Jane Eyre

Mrs. Fairfax in Jane Eyre

A Handful of Dust

Mrs. Beaver in A Handful of Dust

Mrs Brown

Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown

We Become Silent - The Last Days of Health Freedom

Narrator in We Become Silent - The Last Days of Health Freedom

Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years

in Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years

The Coronation Concert

Self (archive footage) in The Coronation Concert

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Evelyn Greenslade in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

My Week with Marilyn

Dame Sybil Thorndike in My Week with Marilyn

Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport

Narrator (voice) in Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport

Dead Cert

Laura Davidson in Dead Cert

Richard Rodgers: Some Enchanted Evening

Performer: "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" in Richard Rodgers: Some Enchanted Evening

J. Edgar

Anna Marie Hoover in J. Edgar

The Cherry Orchard

Anya in The Cherry Orchard

The Cherry Orchard

Mme. Ranevsky in The Cherry Orchard

Langrishe, Go Down

Imogen Langrishe in Langrishe, Go Down

Ghosts

Mrs. Alving in Ghosts

Four in the Morning

Wife ("Judi") in Four in the Morning

An Audience With Victoria Wood

Self in An Audience With Victoria Wood

Wetherby

Marcia Pilborough in Wetherby

Everything or Nothing

Self in Everything or Nothing

Stars In Shorts

Mary in Stars In Shorts

Run For Your Wife

Bag Lady in Run For Your Wife

Philomena

Philomena in Philomena

Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh

Desiree Armfeldt (segment "Send In The Clowns") in Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh

Muse of Fire

Self in Muse of Fire

Absolute Hell

Christine Foskett in Absolute Hell

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream

Angelina Ballerina: Angelina Sets Sail

Miss Lilly (voice) in Angelina Ballerina: Angelina Sets Sail

Angelina Ballerina: Angelina's Princess Dance

Miss Lilly (voice) in Angelina Ballerina: Angelina's Princess Dance

Make and Break

Mrs. Rogers in Make and Break

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Evelyn Greenslade in The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Tulip Fever

The Abbess of St. Ursula in Tulip Fever

One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage

Self (uncredited) in One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage

I Remember It Well: Dame Judi Dench in Conversation with Gyles Bandreth

Self in I Remember It Well: Dame Judi Dench in Conversation with Gyles Bandreth

Born to be The King

Narrator in Born to be The King

Friend Request Pending

Mary in Friend Request Pending

The Last of the Blonde Bombshells

Elizabeth in The Last of the Blonde Bombshells

J.R.R.T. : A Study of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, 1892-1973

Narrator in J.R.R.T. : A Study of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, 1892-1973

Roald Dahl's Esio Trot

Mrs. Silver in Roald Dahl's Esio Trot

Quintessentially British

Self in Quintessentially British

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Avocet in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

The Vote

Christine Metcalfe in The Vote

Spirited

Dame Judi Dench in Spirited

Best Ever Bond

Self in Best Ever Bond

Judi Dench: Our National Treasure

Self (archive footage) in Judi Dench: Our National Treasure

Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends

Self in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends

Village Wooing

Z in Village Wooing

Spectre

M (uncredited) in Spectre

Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale

Paulina in Branagh Theatre Live: The Winter's Tale

Going Gently

Sister Scarli in Going Gently

Shakespeare Live! From the RSC

Self - Performer in Shakespeare Live! From the RSC

Can You Hear Me Thinking?

Anne in Can You Hear Me Thinking?

Saigon: Year Of The Cat

Barbara Dean in Saigon: Year Of The Cat

Dames of Classic Drama at the BBC

Self (archive material) in Dames of Classic Drama at the BBC

Luther

Katharina in Luther

Murder on the Orient Express

Natalia Dragomiroff in Murder on the Orient Express

Victoria & Abdul

Queen Victoria in Victoria & Abdul

Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple

Self in Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple

Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage

Self in Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage

Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill

Dorrie Edgehill in Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill

National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage

Cleopatra/Desiree Armfeldt in National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage

Billy Connolly: A BAFTA Tribute

Self in Billy Connolly: A BAFTA Tribute

My Homeland

Reader in My Homeland

The Browning Version

Millie Crocker-Harris in The Browning Version

James Bond Supports International Women's Day

M (voice) in James Bond Supports International Women's Day

Red Joan

Joan Elizabeth Stanley in Red Joan

Judi Dench: My Passion for Trees

Self in Judi Dench: My Passion for Trees

Six by Sondheim

Self (archive footage) in Six by Sondheim

On Giant's Shoulders

Hazel Wiles in On Giant's Shoulders

Artemis Fowl

Commander Root in Artemis Fowl

Nothing Like a Dame

Self in Nothing Like a Dame

Palo Santo

Mother of Palo Santo in Palo Santo

Cats

Old Deuteronomy in Cats

All Is True

Anne Shakespeare in All Is True

He Who Rides a Tiger

Joanne in He Who Rides a Tiger

The Third Secret

Miss Ada Humphries in The Third Secret

The Angelic Conversation

(voice) in The Angelic Conversation

And the Oscar Goes To...

Self (archive footage) in And the Oscar Goes To...

Blithe Spirit

Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit

Six Minutes to Midnight

Miss Rocholl in Six Minutes to Midnight

Into the Woods

The Giant (voice) in Into the Woods

Top Gear: 50 Years of Bond Cars

Self in Top Gear: 50 Years of Bond Cars

The Comedy of Errors

Adriana in The Comedy of Errors

Off the Rails

Diana in Off the Rails

Belfast

Granny in Belfast

Directing Bond: The Martin Chronicles

in Directing Bond: The Martin Chronicles

GoldenEye: The Secret Files - The Cast

Self in GoldenEye: The Secret Files - The Cast

Goldeneye: The Secret Files

Self in Goldeneye: The Secret Files

Highly Classified: The World of 007

in Highly Classified: The World of 007

The Life of Shakespeare

self in The Life of Shakespeare

Die Another Day: From Script to Screen

Self in Die Another Day: From Script to Screen

Shaken and Stirred on Ice

Self in Shaken and Stirred on Ice

The Show Must Go On! - Live at the Palace Theatre

Self - Preshow Announcement (voice) in The Show Must Go On! - Live at the Palace Theatre

Angelina Ballerina: The Show Must Go On

Miss Lilly (voice) in Angelina Ballerina: The Show Must Go On

TV Shows