The Esteemed Actress Reveals Memory Struggles Yet Holds Onto The Bard's Lines.
The iconic performer Judi Dench has opened up about the impact of growing older on her vision and recall, stating she often struggles to recall upcoming appointments – yet can easily recall long sections of Shakespearean text.
"I have no memory of what I'm doing tomorrow, I swear to you," she told the Radio Times.
Her team verified 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," Dench noted, explaining that it means she can no longer watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie hosting Mastermind," she continued, "but I can at least hear the questions."
The actress, celebrating 91 this week, is fronting a new documentary exploring her deep connection with the works of Shakespeare. She will also be seen in conversation with Kenneth Branagh in another programme set for broadcast over the festive period.
On Friends and Exoneration
Dench also mentioned remaining in touch with fellow actor Kevin Spacey, who was found not guilty of assault allegations in 2023. "Kevin was cleared," she stated, "and I hear from Kevin, we text."
In recent months, Dench disclosed she now requires constant help in public to avoid tripping 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 vision loss in the UK.
Coping with New Realities
Dench has attributed the condition with her effective stepping back from acting. "I can't see on a film set any more," she said in 2023, adding: "Reading is also impossible. But you just deal with it."
"It's challenging if I have any length of a part. I have not discovered a way. Since I have so many friends who will help me learn the script."
Her last screen credit was a brief part in the 2022 holiday film Spirited; earlier that year she had a more substantial part in Allelujah. The same year also brought her her eighth Academy Award nod for Belfast.
Remaining in the Public Eye
Dench still appears often at events, nevertheless, including at fundraisers including a recent one last month alongside Ian McKellen. This past spring, she was sculpted live for charity. Dench said she could not see the finished sculpture, but would feel it "if permitted."