“Miss Dench, your face is a real nightmare”: 15 facts about Judi Dench (17 photos)
On December 9th, one of the most incredible actresses in Hollywood turns 10, scary to say! - 88 years old. 
I propose to check if we know everything about James Bond's unyielding boss. 
Still from the film “Victoria and Abdul”
Judi Dench's first role was a snail 
Still from the film "Artemis Fowl"
Judith Olivia Dench was born on December 9, 1934 in York in the UK. Her father was a staff doctor at the York Theater Royal, and her mother stayed at home with the children, but from time to time she worked as a costume designer at the same theater. Therefore, Judy’s older brother Jeffrey and she herself spent almost their entire childhood behind the scenes.
“The first time I went on stage was when I was five years old. I remember that I wasn’t worried at all - and I didn’t understand the other children who stood nearby and were shaking with fear. Poor fellows, how nervous they were then! And I was constantly hanging around in the theater. And Jeff, who was six years older than me, by that time was already playing in school plays with all his might. So I took acting for granted. True, this did not stop me from failing my role. I played a snail: I crawled around the stage in a brownish tights and carried on my back a huge shell-house that my father made for me. At some point, I noticed my parents in the hall, I was terribly happy - and for some reason I jumped up (probably, I even wanted to wave my hand to them so that they would not confuse me with another girl). And then there were screams from the audience: “Sit down, sit down!” Apparently, this was my first critic.”
Judy could be a ballerina 
Still from the film “Nine”
While studying at a closed college, Judy participated in all school plays without exception, but at some point she realized that she was much more attracted to dancing.
“Ballet was real magic for me. I closed my eyes and saw myself dancing something aerial - in a snow-white tutu and with a tiara on my head. And the teachers said that I had the data. However, my father managed to bring me back to earth. After one of my dance performances, when I felt like the queen of the world, he came up to me and said: “But you do understand that dancers retire at forty? Or do you want to portray an elderly swan?” Of course, forty years seemed very old to me then, but for some reason the word “retirement” scared me greatly - and the spell of ballet disappeared. Then I decided that I wanted to become a designer - and I still think that I would make a good costume designer - but after several years of studying at art school, I finally changed my mind and went to London, to the school of dramatic art, where my brother already studied.”
Dench's theatrical career began with Ophelia 
Still from the film “Tulip Fever”
At the theater college, Judy was considered one of the most promising students. Therefore, no one was surprised when the young girl managed to join the Old Vic Company and immediately get the role that all applicants, without exception, dream of.
“I was very lucky: I didn’t run around as an extra for years, I didn’t make my way to serious roles through tiny episodes. I was immediately invited to play Ophelia in a good troupe. I didn’t even have time to get properly scared. However, after the first performance I realized that I was so brave because I was inexperienced - and because I didn’t know anything at all. I had to grit my teeth and start plowing.”
Dench's efforts were not in vain. The next year she already played on Broadway in the plays “Henry V” and “Twelfth Night.” And in 1961, Judy became the star of the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Theater.
Dench was sure she would never act in films 
Still from the film “Victoria and Abdul”
"Miss Dench, your face is a nightmare!" - Judy heard after the first screen test. The “diagnosis” was soon confirmed by others. “No one will ever film you. Your face is not made for movies. Don’t even try,” a director she knew as a friend told her in the early 50s. Judy didn't even try.
“I quickly realized that I had no chance of getting on the big screen, but, to be honest, I wasn’t very upset. I had theater, which I adored, so why do I need anything else? Besides, I knew for sure that I was not a beauty at all: I was neither tall, nor long legs, nor impressive cheekbones... What kind of movie is this? And if anyone had told me then that I would play dozens of film roles, I would have laughed for a long time.”
Judi Dench was late for her own wedding 
Still from the film “Philomena”
Judi Dench got married at 36. Her husband was her friend Michael Williams, who worked with her at the Royal Shakespeare Theater.
“Before the wedding, we knew Michael for about nine years: mutual friends brought us together. True, I was late for the wedding: I was sorting things out with another old friend of mine, who at that moment confessed his love to me, also asked me to marry and tried to give me a ring. I replied: “I can’t, I was supposed to become Michael Williams’ wife four minutes ago!” And you know, I never regretted that I chose him. He was simply incredible: calm and with a great sense of humor. He always jokingly called himself a crab that backs away into the darkness, and compared me to a horse that rushes towards the light at all speeds. So we kept each other somewhere in the middle.”
Michael and Judy lived together for 30 years. Unfortunately, Williams died of cancer in 2001.
Every week Dench received a small gift from her husband 
Still from the film “7 Days and Nights with Marilyn”
There was a ritual in their family: every Friday, the husband gave Judy a red rose. And it doesn’t matter whether they were nearby at that moment or were on different continents: for thirty years of marriage, this ritual was never broken.
“He was a great actor, but he jokingly called himself 'Mr Judi Dench.' It was thanks to him that I did not become an exemplary housewife. When my daughter was born, I was already approaching forty, and I decided that it was time to give up my acting career: in the theater I had already played everything I could, and there weren’t so many roles for “older girls.” However, my husband did not allow me to leave the theater. He said that I would go crazy if I did this and that he would feel guilty for the rest of his life. In the end, we found a compromise: while I was playing, he looked after my infant daughter, and when she grew up and went to school, he helped me get a job on television. And for this I am incredibly grateful to him.”
Dench had a tattoo dedicated to Harvey Weinstein 
Still from the film "J. Edgar"
Oddly enough, it was Harvey Weinstein who brought Judy to big cinema. He invited her to appear in the TV movie “Her Majesty Mrs. Brown.” The project was not supposed to be released on the wide screen, but Dench liked Harvey so much in the role of Queen Victoria that he decided to take a risk and release the film. This is how the actress received her first Golden Globe.
“It was Harvey who created me as a film actress, and I am grateful to him more than anyone else. Once I even told him about it. True, she turned it all into a joke: she asked the make-up artists to write the name “Harvey” on my butt so that it looked like a tattoo, she went up to him and said: “You know, I made a tattoo in honor of you on my own ass.” He laughed, but didn't believe it. And then we went to a common dinner, where our mutual friends were. And then, in the midst of the party, I get up and say: “You know, I wasn’t joking!” And I show him this inscription in front of everyone. You should have seen how embarrassed he was then!
At the same time, Judy assures that she had no idea about any of Weinstein’s sexual adventures at that time.
“Personally, he never pestered me! He simply helped me with my career - and I thank him very much. As for the other actresses who became victims of his behavior, I sincerely sympathize with them and believe that they committed a real act, not being afraid to admit everything.”
Dench almost turned down the role in Bond 
Still from the movie “Skyfall”
The invitation to “Golden Eye” took the actress by surprise: she was already 60, she acted in films quite rarely, although she had roles in television plays and television films. And she had very vague ideas about Bond.
“I didn’t know anything at all about my M, and having received the script, I was ready to give it up right away, but my husband, almost on his knees, begged me to agree. After all, he so wanted to boast that he lives with a “Bond woman”! In the end, he persuaded me, and I agreed, gritting my teeth. Then it turned out that it was incredibly fun: after all, I was commanding Bond himself! I was also amazed by my daughter’s reaction when she looked at the set of “GoldenEye”: she almost fainted when she saw Pierce Brosnan. At the same time, M, of course, is not at all like me. In real life I don’t even know how to use an answering machine, but here I had to make a device out of an alarm clock and wires to save the world. My friends literally cried with laughter when they saw it.”
Dench is sure that the girl will never be able to become 007 
Still from the film “Quantum of Solace”
There have been rumors for several years that the next Bond will be a woman. However, Dench is sure that this is practically impossible.
“It’s not that I’m a member of a generation that doesn’t like girls playing male roles. Play whatever you want! However, the peculiarity of the Bond movie is that its main character playfully kills other people - and does it easily and naturally. A normal woman will not be able to repeat the same thing: for this we are too sensitive, too subject to reflection. The heroine would be tormented by past murders and worried about future ones. And this is a completely different movie. At the same time, do not forget that Bond is still controlled by a woman - and personally, that’s enough for me.”
Judi Dench is afraid of worms 
Still from the film “Code Red”
Judi Dench has several phobias. And one of them is the fear of worms.
“When I was very little, I discovered an uninvited guest in my shoe - a little worm. How disgusting he seemed to me! Since then I've been afraid to even think about them. But I have a completely normal relationship with snakes: they don’t cause any disgust.”
Judy also does not feel very comfortable in the dark and small enclosed spaces, where she can become somewhat claustrophobic.
Judi Dench has a great sense of humor 
Still from the film “The Pure Truth”
This is easy to understand from almost any of her interviews. For example, Judy once made it clear to journalists that her love affair with the theater was not over yet.
“Someday I will definitely return to the stage. I want to play an oppressed Afghan woman who learns to walk a tightrope and in the last act turns into a fire-breathing dragon. But where is this play?! But seriously, I'm actually going back to the theater. Only this time as a ghost. It will be very Shakespearean!”
The actress does not like to watch her films 
Still from the film "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"
You will be surprised, but she hasn’t even seen most of her films.
“This is a very painful process for me. I don't understand how my colleagues enjoy it? After all, you are no longer able to change anything - so you sit and suffer from a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. Theater is a completely different matter. If something doesn't work out, tomorrow you will have a chance to play better. In movies you don't have this chance. Besides, I’ve never had easy film roles! That’s why many films were so difficult for me that I didn’t even try to watch them.”
Judi Dench has serious vision problems 
Still from the film “Murder on the Orient Express”
Almost ten years ago, Dench was diagnosed with macular degeneration of the retina. This is a chronic disease, due to which the actress gradually loses her sight and has not been able to read for a long time: she remembers her roles by ear.
“This is not a sore that blinds you overnight. It creeps up gradually - and you yourself don’t notice how it progresses. And then you suddenly realize that you can walk past a good friend without saying hello - simply because you didn’t notice him. True, now my situation is much more serious: for example, not so long ago I tried to watch some old film with my participation, and realized that I could see practically nothing. I just sat and thought: “It seems that that bright spot over there is me.” However, gradually you get used to it and adapt little by little.”
Social networks helped Judy survive quarantine
Still from the film "Mrs. Henderson Presents"
The period of self-isolation turned out to be a serious test for Dench.
"It was terrible! I woke up in the morning and couldn’t remember what day, month, year it was…. All the days turned out to be indistinguishable from one another. I had absolutely no idea what to do. Thanks to my grandson, who persuaded me to shoot videos for social networks. By the way, don't think it was that easy. Sam was very strict with me and forced me to rehearse. I spent hours repeating the same movements until they became natural.”
Judy has no plans to retire 
Still from the film “Ship News”
“I realized a long time ago that I can’t stop. I continue to do what I did before because if I quit, there will be no chance to come back. And “retirement” is a word that I hate, just like “old age”. No one says them at my house. And don't say I'm too old to try something new. I want to make sure for myself that some role is beyond my strength. This is better than thinking about possible failures and not trying anything. Just give me a chance and I’ll play everything.”
