Judi Dench Says Harvey Weinstein “Has Done His Time” After Rape Case

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Judi Dench is sharing her perspective on Harvey Weinstein. 

Almost a decade after more than 80 women accused Harvey Weinstein, the founder of Miramax, of sexual harassment or assault—and after he was convicted of sexual assault in both New York and Los Angeles—the actress from Shakespeare in Love recently shared her complex emotions about the former Hollywood executive. (Weinstein’s 2020 conviction in New York was later overturned, but he was found guilty of one count of a serious sexual offense in a new trial earlier this year.)

In a recent interview with Radio Times, 91-year-old Judi Dench spoke about Harvey Weinstein, saying she was fortunate to never have experienced any inappropriate behavior from him. She added that she believes he has ‘done his time’ and that, for her, the issue of forgiveness is a personal one.

The interviewer observed that Judi Dench, motivated by her Quaker beliefs, brought up the idea of forgiving the former Hollywood executive, and that discussing Weinstein was obviously very difficult for her.

TopMob News has attempted to reach Dench for additional comment regarding her latest statement. 

Harvey Weinstein, currently serving a 16-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault convictions in Los Angeles and awaiting sentencing for a recent New York retrial, continues to deny all allegations. Through a representative, he recently expressed approval of Judi Dench’s public statements on the matter.

Harvey Weinstein, through a spokesperson, stated that the woman is a remarkable individual who significantly helped his career. He also maintained his innocence, saying he’s facing accusations for something he didn’t do and that many of the claims against him are proving to be false or lack evidence.

When reports of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct surfaced in 2017, Judi Dench immediately described them as “horrifying.”

Judi Dench stated to Newsweek that although Harvey Weinstein supported her film career for two decades, she had no knowledge of his abusive behavior, which she finds appalling. She expressed sympathy for the victims and full support for those who have come forward.

Look, I adore Judi Dench, truly. But it’s just… confusing. She’s been so vocal about supporting the women who bravely spoke out against Harvey Weinstein, which is amazing. But then she also keeps talking about how brilliant he was for her career, how much he did for her. She actually told The Guardian a couple of years ago that working with him didn’t feel ruined or damaged by everything that came out. I just… I don’t get how you can hold both those feelings at the same time. It feels like she’s defending him, even after everything. It’s hard to reconcile, honestly.

At the time, she explained that she’d done a great deal of work for Harvey, describing him as consistently charming. She felt fortunate in her experience, but deeply sympathized with those who hadn’t been so lucky.

I worked with Harvey Weinstein on films like Shakespeare in Love and Philomena, and honestly, throughout it all, I never once got the impression he was involved in any of the awful things that later came to light. It really shocked me when the accusations surfaced.

Honestly, I had absolutely no idea about any of this. No one said a word to me, so it’s easy for me to say I’m judging his actions as I see them. I simply never saw that side of him, not even once.

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2025-12-09 20:17