The Esteemed Actress Reveals Recollection Struggles Yet Holds Onto Shakespeare Lines.
The legendary actress Judi Dench has opened up about the effects of growing older on her vision and recall, stating she often struggles to remember immediate plans – yet can easily recall long sections of Shakespearean text.
"I can't remember what I'm doing tomorrow, I promise you," she stated to a magazine.
Her assistants confirmed that this kind of help are sometimes necessary. Dench added that her degenerative eye condition now means faces to appear "blurred" even when up close.
A Condition That 'Crushes'
"It's devastating," she remarked, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie hosting Mastermind," she continued, "but I can still hear the questions."
Dench, who turns 91 this week, is fronting a new documentary about her longstanding relationship with Shakespeare's works. Audiences will also see her being interviewed by Kenneth Branagh in a separate show airing over the Christmas holidays.
Regarding Friends and Acquittals
Dench also mentioned staying in contact with fellow actor Kevin Spacey, who was acquitted of sexual assault charges in 2023. "Kevin has been exonerated," she stated, "and we are in contact, we text."
Earlier this year, Dench disclosed she needs full-time assistance in public to avoid falling over due to her failing eyesight. She was first diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012, a degenerative disease that is the primary reason of vision loss in the UK.
Coping with New Realities
She has credited the condition with her effective stepping back from film work. "I can no longer see properly on set," she explained, and continued: "And I can't see to read. But you just cope."
"It's challenging if I have a substantial role. I haven't yet found a way. Since I have many companions who will teach me the script."
Her last screen credit was a small role in the 2022 Christmas movie Spirited; prior to that she had a larger role in Allelujah. The same year also earned her her eighth Academy Award nod for Belfast.
A Continued Public Presence
Dench still appears frequently in public, however, such as at charity events like one last month alongside Ian McKellen. This past spring, she participated in a live sculpture for charity. She noted she could not see the finished sculpture, but would feel it "if they let me."
