Judi Dench

Background

The daughter of Eleanora Olive and Reginald Arthur Dench, Judith Olivia Dench was born in the York neighborhood of Heworth. She attended the all-girls Mount School, and because of the school’s influence, she became a Quaker. Her father worked as 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. In September 1957, Dench appeared on stage for the first time as Ophelia in “Hamlet” with the Old Vic Company.

In 1971, Dench wed Liverpool-born actor Michael Williams; the couple remained together until Williams’ death from lung disease in 2001. Their daughter, Finty Williams, their only child, was born in 1972 and went on to become an actress. For her performance as Hazel Wiles in the 1979 B.B.C. drama “On Giant’s Shoulders,” she received a BAFTA nomination. Together with her husband Michael Williams, Dench starred in Britain’s BAFTA-winning “A Fine Romance” from 1981 to 1984. For her Broadway performance as Esme Allen in Sir David Hare’s “Amy’s View” in 1999, she received a Tony Award. In Oliver Parker’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” which was released in 2002, Dench was cast opposite Reese Witherspoon. Dench provided Miss Lilly’s voice in the animated children’s program “Angelina Ballerina” in 2002. The 2005 version of Jane Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice” by Joe Wright was a huge success for Dench. Later, in 2006, Dench, as her character M, was the only cast member from the Brosnan movies to appear in “Casino Royale.” It was one of the highest-earning James Bond movies ever, grossing over $594 million globally.

In February 2008, Dench took up narrating duties for the refurbished Spaceship Earth ride at Walt Disney World’s Epcot. The comedy-drama “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” which earned $134 million worldwide and earned Dench a nomination for Best Actress at both the British Independent Film Awards and Golden Globe Awards, reunited Dench with director John Madden on set in 2011. Dench made history by being the oldest person to appear on the British “Vogue” cover in May 2020. Dench joined the cast of “Allelujah” in October 2021.