Dame Judi Dench opens up on her declining eyesight, family history, and having a temper: “Oh yes, I’m sometimes very cross”

by

As we drove along increasingly winding country roads, snow fell softly, barely sticking to the ground. We arrived at Dame Judi Dench’s charming cottage, complete with a sturdy wooden door. Hidden beyond a barn and other outbuildings was a lake, a swimming pool, and six acres of woodland she deeply cherishes. In this woodland, she plants a tree for each close friend who passes away – and sadly, there have been many – with a plaque bearing their name. Recent additions include trees dedicated to Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg.

The garden is looked after by a kind young man – one of the actor’s helpers, and the son of a longtime supporter. He’s usually seen in tweed with a lively dog running alongside him. Judi Dench would definitely object to calling it ‘grounds’ – she’s famously down-to-earth for someone so well-known. She told me in 2017 that she hates being called an ‘icon’ or a ‘national treasure’, and actually enjoys Tracey Ullman’s funny YouTube sketch where she’s portrayed as a rebellious character who breaks the rules, despite her respected image.

Though it’s cold and bleak outdoors, the atmosphere inside is cozy and festive. Everything feels wonderfully Christmassy, right down to the occasional sip of champagne Dame Judi Dench enjoys.

Despite her age, Jude – as her friends call her – remains warm, lively, and incredibly funny, always quick with a witty remark that shows her mind is still sharp, even though she sometimes worries about memory loss. However, on December 9th, she will turn 91, and the years are beginning to show. Sadly, her bright blue eyes, once so commanding as M in the James Bond films, have lost their sight.

Her vision has been getting worse for several years because of age-related macular degeneration. When I ask if she can see my face – we’re sitting very close at her kitchen table – she squints and says, “You look like you’re in a fog.”

Her eyesight is severely deteriorated – she describes her eyes as constantly wet – and unfortunately, there’s no medical solution. “It’s devastating,” she admits, speaking softly. Losing her ability to drive was a major setback, and she’s also had to give up hobbies she loved, like embroidery – she made playfully rude cushions, which she compares to the edgy comedy of Tracey Ullman – as well as reading and watching television. When asked what she misses most, she says she enjoys listening to Clive Myrie host Mastermind, even though she can’t see the show. So she still has the television on, but primarily to listen to the audio?

“Yes, that’s what it is now.”

Judi Dench attributes her occasional fiery temper to her mother, who was Irish and known for her strong reactions. Dench remembers her mother’s explosive outburst when her father replaced their old vacuum cleaner with a new Electrolux. Standing at the top of a very long staircase, she famously demanded her old Hoover back and then dramatically threw the new vacuum down the stairs, demonstrating her quick temper.

In the documentary Judi Dench: Shakespeare, My Family and Me, which we’ll be talking about today, Judi Dench repeatedly expresses a fear of losing her mental clarity. When asked if this is a significant worry for her, she confirms, “Oh yes, and I am now.”

She’s incredibly fortunate to still recall so much of Shakespeare, having performed his plays her entire life – it was a family tradition even when she was a child. But she jokes, ‘I honestly can’t remember what I’m doing tomorrow!’ and gestures to her assistants, who are discreetly positioned at the kitchen’s edge to help if needed, which often happens. They chime in together, like a chorus, ‘It’s true, yes!’

This documentary was created at the request of director Harvey Lilley, who previously directed an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? for her in 2021. That episode revealed her Danish ancestry and sparked her interest in Shakespeare, a writer she has always admired.

A recent TV show revealed that Judi Dench is related to a woman who served in the Danish royal court at Kronborg Castle – the castle that inspired the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. However, a new documentary focuses on Dench’s eight-times-great-grandfather, Anders Bille, who traveled to England with the Danish royal family in 1606. The documentary explores whether Bille might have encountered William Shakespeare during that visit, considering Shakespeare was a prominent figure in the court of King James I.

Sometimes the story feels a little fragile, but the captivating nature of the main character – and the way her past words seem to effortlessly spill out, especially in impressive settings – ultimately carries it through. You’re left feeling deeply touched and appreciative.

Her deep connection to language – words that reveal everything about what it means to be human – is what truly ties her to her past: her childhood, her family, her successful career, and her beloved husband, Michael Williams, who sadly passed away from lung cancer in 2001 at the age of 65. He was also the father of her daughter, Finty (born Tara Cressida), who followed in their footsteps as an actor.

Judi and Michael first met while working with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s, and they married in 1971. Their home is filled with pictures and paintings of Michael, displayed throughout every room. Right now, a large, glowing photograph of him sits on the kitchen counter, and he’s looking directly at me with a warm, loving expression – it’s truly touching. I wondered if holidays like Christmas were especially difficult for her, missing him. She simply replied, “No, all the time.”

Want to see this content?

We can’t display this content because of a security check from Google reCAPTCHA. To see it, please sign out of your Contentpass account.

Imagine you bumped into Shakespeare today. What would you want to know? Maybe you’d ask if he was working on a new play and if there was a small role for you – an older woman with a short, memorable line or two. Perhaps you’d even ask if your character could discreetly fall asleep during the performance!

Judi Dench became a Quaker while attending The Mount school in York as a teenager. She found the Quaker meetings to be deeply meaningful and has been a member of the faith ever since. When asked if her faith gives her strength, she says, “Certainly.” However, she emphasizes that friendship is even more important, explaining, “That’s what Quakers are called – the Society of Friends.”

I was chatting with a friend about the next James Bond when she mentioned Pierce Brosnan. Apparently, he’d recently visited for lunch and she’d completely forgotten about a welcome mat she’d had for ages. She said he opened the door and saw the words, ‘I’ve been waiting for you, Mr Bond’ printed on it. She confirmed he found it amusing.

She was close to both Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey – Spacey supported her after her husband’s death, and Weinstein helped launch her Hollywood career. She immediately denounced Weinstein’s abusive behavior when the allegations surfaced. It makes you wonder how she feels now, knowing what she does. Can she reconcile with either of them? How do you balance years of friendship and good memories with truly awful actions? Does one terrible act overshadow everything positive someone has ever done? Can people be defined by something other than their worst mistakes, even if those mistakes happened repeatedly? And when Weinstein passes away, will she remember only the harm he caused, or also the good times?

The group reacted with widespread concern, like a ripple through a crowd, but I continued questioning her. She’d mentioned this to TopMob in the past, and some time has passed, so maybe she’s had a chance to reconsider her position.

She seemed really upset, so I tried to change the subject by asking if she had a celebrity crush. She responded with a flustered, “Oh gosh, I can’t even think about that right now!” When I asked if she’d ever had one, she just said, “I don’t know!” Meanwhile, people nearby coughed and glanced at something interesting on the wall, as if something important was happening.

Why?

“Why are you so upset? Get a grip!” she said, gesturing to the wall. “That earring up there? He actually bit it off my ear while we were on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.”

He bit off your ear?

Naturally, it happened. I was sitting in a carriage in Greenwich when I was told Johnny Depp would dramatically enter through the window, kiss me, and then leave. He did come through the window, but instead of kissing me, he playfully bit my ear and pulled an earring off with his teeth! I remember being a little underwhelmed and asking, ‘Is that all?’ – and, amazingly, that earring is still kept as a souvenir.

So, was that a bit of a moment for you?

She’s excited to spend Christmas with her family, including her daughter Finty, grandson Sammy, and his girlfriend Lizzie. They only watch one thing on TV during the holidays: the King’s speech.

“If you are lucky enough to be together with the family, round the table, then that’s what

What I enjoy most is simply being with people – sharing stories, ideas, and genuinely enjoying each other’s company. It’s a feeling that’s hard to beat.

We chat about her collaborations with artists like Lethal Bizzle, the fun she had making TikTok videos with her grandson during lockdown, and the ‘carpe diem’ tattoo she got on her wrist at age 80 – it looks fantastic with all her silver rings! A framed print of that motto hangs on her wall, next to another cherished family saying: ‘I love you to the moon and back,’ which they all share with each other.

Being around her is incredibly invigorating. She has such a strong presence that it makes you feel truly alive. Surprisingly, she admits she is afraid of death, almost with excitement, which makes us both laugh. She then playfully adds, “But he’s not getting in here now, is he?”

Judi, please! You know everything about Shakespeare, don’t you? She explained she’d performed the play twice, but someone pointed out she was reciting lines that weren’t even hers. Judi replied that Shakespeare captured all of human experience – our fears, hopes, joys, and loves – and that’s why his work still resonates. She said you feel his understanding in the writing.

Read More

2025-12-07 19:36