Dame Judi Dench is an absolute legend, to say the least. She's appeared in numerous productions made for the stage and screen and is one of the most celebrated British actresses of all time. The 88-year-old continues to work and take roles and was even among the 2022 Oscar nominees, thanks to her performance in Belfast. Unfortunately, as she’s gotten older, it’s become more difficult for the star to learn lines due to her deteriorating eyesight. Despite this, Dench plans on taking more roles, as she has a method of working
The celebrated performer spoke with Sunday Mirror and opened up about the challenges she has when it comes to her sight. As she explained, this makes her work on film sets harder. While her poor vision does present a significant hurdle, her talent persists. That's because the actress has found ways to learn dialogue and without needing to see to read her lines. She said:
I mean I can’t see on a film set any more. And I can’t see to read. So I can’t see much. But you know you just deal with it. Get on. It’s difficult for me if I have any length of a part. I haven’t yet found a way. Because I have so many friends who will teach me the script. But I have a photographic memory.
It sounds like she's mastered the art of learning her lines auditorily and gets help from people when she can. A photographic memory also gives her an advantage, as she can likely recall details better than some other actors on set. When asked if she would ever retire from her craft due to her health, Dench shot down the notion, saying:
I have an irrational fear of boredom. That’s why I now have this tattoo that says carpe diem. That’s what we should live by.
The celebrated actress is definitely seizing the day and has been doing so throughout her illustrious career. She was a powerful force while performing her early stage roles in Much Ado About Nothing and Cabaret. She officially received the title of Dame in 1988, being honored for her contributions to cinema and theater. As she grew older and took on different roles, she continued to shine and won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.
Judi Dench arguably became even iconic for her role as M in the 007 franchise. She appeared in eight James Bond films, and her portrayal is widely loved by fans of the franchise. (Thank goodness M wasn't killed off in Skyfall.) Overall, Dench continues to be one of our biggest and brightest stars and is clearly not letting anything stop her.
It's apparent that she loves acting and hopes to continue doing it for as long as possible. Hitting marks and memorizing lines while also staying in character is a struggle for many actors. She deserves a lot of credit for working through her loss of vision and doing what she can to stay in the game. I think I speak for everyone when I see we’d be happy to have Dench share her unparalleled acting talents with the world as long as she's willing.
Those who'd like to see her Oscar-nominated work in Belfast can do so by streaming the film with a Max subscription. For more information on other films hitting streaming later this year, take a look at CinemaBlend's schedule of 2023 new movie releases.
