Dame Judi Dench has spoken candidly about how age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diagnosed in 2012, has progressively limited her ability to work and engage in everyday activities. In a BBC interview, she described struggling to recognise faces and recounted an awkward moment when she approached the wrong person 'and give them an almost hug' before realising her mistake.
Despite her sight loss, Dench continues to make public appearances and adapt to her condition. 'The radio has always been important to me,' she said. She was speaking ahead of the release of her memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, written with theatre director Brendan O'Hea, due out at the end of October in the UK.
During the interview, Dench reflected on her seven-decade career, including her Academy Award for best supporting actress for playing Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1999) and her iconic role as 'M', James Bond's boss, which she first played in GoldenEye (1995). She also recalled meeting the late actor Sidney Poitier after a performance of Amy's View in New York, describing the encounter as 'thrilling'.
When asked about ageing, Dench replied: 'There's nothing to say for it at all. [I] don't think about it too much.' She also shared her lifelong love of Shakespeare, recalling watching her brother play King Duncan in Macbeth when she was nine. 'He said "bloody", did you hear that?' she said, adding that she is 'besotted' by Shakespeare's sonnets and their rhythm.
Asked for her views on who should play the next James Bond, she simply replied: 'No.'