‘No, No, I Can’t Even See’

While she hasn’t officially announced her retirement from acting, Dame Judi Dench has most likely starred in her last film thanks to her deteriorating eyesight. The 89-year-old Dench has enjoyed an illustrious 65-year career that began in 1957 with an appearance in a number of stage plays, leading to her first feature film role in 1964’s The Third Secret. She has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning once in 1998 for Best Supporting Actress thanks to her performance in Shakespeare in Love where she played Queen Elizabeth I.

Dench appeared at the Chelsea Flower Show which was held from May 21 to 25, 2024 in London, and was asked by The Mirror whether she has any upcoming movie or TV projects. Her last appearance in a film was in 2022’s Spirited, where she played herself in a small cameo role. Responding to the journalist’s question, Dench replied:

When asked to elaborate further, her agent intervened, commenting, “Judi has nothing more to add than all she mentioned to the journalist.”

Dench has been dealing with age-related macular degeneration of her eyes as far back as 2012, when she revealed that she needed someone to read scripts to her. At that time, she was taking injections to hopefully halt any further hindrances, but it appears to have only gotten worse as the years progressed. Though the condition is painless, it does erode the central vision, while leaving peripheral sight intact.

Dame Judi Dench Has An ‘Irrational Fear of Boredom’

Following her incredible performance in Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V in 1989, Dench took a short break from feature films before returning in 1995 as the head of MI6, known only as M, in the James Bond film, GoldenEye. She appeared in a total of eight Bond films, and her character was the only one who remained with the franchise following the switch from Pierce Brosnan to Daniel Craig as 007 in 2006.

In August 2023, Dame Judi Dench spoke with the Sunday Mirror about her loss of vision, calling it “the most terrible shock to the system.” She revealed that she could no longer see on a film set, but that it was something “that you just deal with.” Dench said it helps that she has a photographic memory, adding:

“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.”

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Dame Judi Dench Raves About Seeing Pierce Brosnan for the First Time on GoldenEye Set: ‘Be Still, Beating Heart’

Judi Dench can’t help but remember seeing Pierce Brosnan on set for the very first time as they began shooting GoldenEye (1995).

At that time, Dench commented that she intended to work “as much as I can,” mostly due in part to her fear of boredom. She says that’s the entire reason she got a new tattoo which encourages her to seize the day.

Whether Dench decides to make any more appearances on film remains to be seen, but in the meantime she fills her time with a number of charitable organizations of her choosing, mostly dedicated to the performing arts and medical causes.