How Old Is Judi Dench and What Is She Doing Now?
Has she finished her acting career or not?
Recognized as one of the greatest British actresses of all time, Judi Dench made her name known worldwide with her memorable role in the James Bond franchise.
It’s hard to imagine that Dench starred as M in eight films of the spy series, starting from 1995’s GoldenEye, which catapulted her to international fame, to her brilliant cameo in 2015’s Spectre.
However, what you clearly can’t imagine is that the actress is now 89 years old (she was born on December 9, 1934), and at the same time she is still acting and receiving honorable awards and nominations for her roles.
What Has Judi Dench Been Up to in Recent Years?
Every cinema lover knows that Dench is also known for her numerous collaborations with the filmmaker Kenneth Branagh. You’ve certainly seen Murder on the Orient Express (2017), directed by Branagh and starred by both mentioned actors.
Their 11th work together was the 2020’s sci-fi fantasy Artemis Fowl, based on Eoin Colfer’s best-selling book series. The movie was received quite poorly by critics, but be sure Dench’s performance as the commanding officer of the magic police is truly magical.
Besides, in 2020 Dench participated in Six Minutes to Midnight, a fact-based war drama that every genre veteran should see, and the hilarious gem Blithe Spirit that displayed the actress’ obvious comedy talent, having her play an eccentric medium.
A year later, however, the James Bond star reunited with Branagh again, and this time their collaboration was extremely fruitful. The actress got a leading role in the director’s coming-of-age drama Belfast (2021), following the childhood of a young boy.
It was a glowing success, as apart from other awards, the movie was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actress category. It became the eighth nomination for Dench, proving that the actress is a master of her craft despite her age.
As for other recent movie projects with Dench, in 2022 she made an appearance in the lesser-known drama titled Allelujah and in Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds ’ Christmas comedy Spirited. Since then the actress hasn’t yet added any films to her portfolio.
Let’s hope our favorite Judi Dench is feeling alright and that we’ll see her on the big screen again!