🔗 Share this article

The iconic actress Judi Dench has spoken candidly about the impact of aging on her vision and memory, revealing she often struggles to remember upcoming appointments – yet can effortlessly recite extensive passages of the Bard's work.

"I have no memory of what I'm doing tomorrow, I swear to you," she stated to the Radio Times.

Her team confirmed that this kind of help are at times required. She further mentioned that her age-related macular degeneration now means faces to appear "in a fog" even when up close.

A Condition That 'Crushes'

"It's a crusher," she remarked, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie presenting Mastermind," she said, "but I can at least hear the questions."

The actress, celebrating 91 on Tuesday, is fronting a new documentary exploring her longstanding relationship with Shakespeare's works. Audiences will also see her in conversation with Kenneth Branagh in a separate show airing over the festive period.

Regarding Friends and Acquittals

Dench also mentioned remaining in touch with fellow actor Kevin Spacey, who was found not guilty of assault allegations in 2023. "Kevin has been exonerated," Dench affirmed, "and I hear from Kevin, we text."

In recent months, Dench disclosed she needs constant help in public to avoid tripping due to her vision problems. She was first diagnosed with the eye condition in 2012, a progressive disease that is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK.

Coping with New Realities

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 deal with it."

"It's difficult if I have any length of a part. I have not discovered a way. Since I have so many friends who will teach me the script."

Her last screen credit was a small role in the 2022 holiday film Spirited; prior to that she had a larger role in Allelujah. That year also earned her her eighth Oscar nomination for Belfast.

A Continued Public Presence

Dench still appears frequently in public, nevertheless, including at charity events including a recent one last month alongside Ian McKellen. In May, she was sculpted live to raise funds. She noted she could not see the finished sculpture, but would touch it "if they let me."