Judi Dench Shares Memory Struggles Yet Retains Shakespeare Lines.
The iconic performer Judi Dench has spoken candidly about the effects of aging on her eyesight and memory, stating she often struggles to remember upcoming appointments – yet can effortlessly recite extensive passages of Shakespearean text.
"I can't remember what I'm doing tomorrow, I swear to you," she told a magazine.
Her team verified that this kind of help are sometimes necessary. Dench added that her age-related macular degeneration currently causes faces to appear "blurred" even up close.
A Condition That 'Crushes'
"It's devastating," she remarked, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I miss seeing Clive Myrie presenting Mastermind," she said, "but I can still hear the questions."
The actress, celebrating 91 this week, is fronting a new documentary exploring her longstanding relationship with Shakespeare's works. Audiences will also see her in conversation with Kenneth Branagh in another programme airing over the Christmas holidays.
On Friends and Exoneration
Dench also mentioned staying in contact with 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."
Earlier this year, Dench said she now requires constant help in public for fear of tripping due to her vision problems. She was first diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration in 2012, a degenerative disease that is the primary reason of sight loss in the UK.
Adapting to Change
Dench has attributed the condition with her de facto retirement from film work. "I can no longer see properly on set," she said in 2023, adding: "And I can't see to read. But you just cope."
"It's difficult 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."
Dench's most recent screen credit was a brief part in the 2022 holiday film Spirited; prior to that she had a larger role in Allelujah. The same year also earned her her eighth Oscar nomination for Belfast.
Remaining in the Public Eye
Dench still appears often at events, nevertheless, including at fundraisers including a recent one last month with Ian McKellen. This past spring, she participated in a live sculpture for charity. Dench said she would not be able to see the finished sculpture, but would touch it "if they let me."
