Judi Dench Shares Recollection Struggles Yet Retains The Bard's Lines.
The iconic performer Judi Dench has opened up about the impact of growing older on her vision and memory, stating she often struggles to remember upcoming appointments – yet can effortlessly recite long sections of Shakespearean text.
"I have no memory of what I'm doing tomorrow, I promise you," she told the Radio Times.
Her team verified that this kind of help are sometimes required. She further mentioned that her age-related macular degeneration currently causes faces to appear "in a fog" even when up close.
A 'Crusher' of a Condition
"It's devastating," Dench noted, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie hosting Mastermind," she continued, "but I can at least hear the questions."
The actress, celebrating 91 on Tuesday, is fronting a new documentary about her longstanding relationship with the works of Shakespeare. Audiences will also see her in conversation with Kenneth Branagh in a separate show set for broadcast over the festive period.
On Friends and Exoneration
The star also discussed staying in contact with fellow actor Kevin Spacey, who was found not guilty of sexual assault charges in 2023. "Kevin was cleared," Dench affirmed, "and we are in contact, we text."
In recent months, Dench said she now requires full-time assistance in public for fear of falling over due to her vision problems. She was first diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012, a degenerative disease that is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK.
Coping with New Realities
Dench has attributed the condition with her de facto retirement from film work. "I can no longer see properly on set," she said in 2023, and continued: "And I can't see to read. But you just cope."
"It's challenging if I have any length of a part. I have not discovered a way. Because I have many companions who will help me learn the script."
Dench's most recent screen credit was a brief part in the 2022 Christmas movie Spirited; prior to that she had a larger role in Allelujah. That year also earned her her eighth Oscar nomination for Belfast.
A Continued Public Presence
Dench still appears often at events, however, such as at charity events including a recent one last month with Ian McKellen. In May, she participated in a live sculpture to raise funds. She noted she could not see the final artwork, but would feel it "if they let me."
