Short answers, pulled from the story.
Judi Dench won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1998), presented at the 71st Academy Awards. She famously quipped on stage that for eight minutes of screen time she should only receive a small portion of the statuette.
Judi Dench played M in eight James Bond films, from GoldenEye (1995) through to a final cameo appearance as a pre-recorded message in Spectre (2015). She was the first woman to portray the character, succeeding Robert Brown.
Judi Dench was born on the 9th of December 1934 in the Heworth area of York. Her father Reginald Arthur Dench was a doctor who served as general practitioner to the York Theatre Royal, and her mother Eleanora worked there as wardrobe mistress.
Judi Dench has received eight Academy Award nominations. She won once, for Best Supporting Actress for Shakespeare in Love (1998). Her other nominations span roles in Mrs Brown (1997), Chocolat (2000), Iris (2001), Mrs Henderson Presents (2005), Notes on a Scandal (2006), Philomena (2013), and Belfast (2021).
Judi Dench was effectively retired from acting by 2024 due to severe macular degeneration affecting her vision. She first disclosed the condition in early 2012, stating she needed scripts read aloud to her. In November 2025, she stated she could no longer recognize people, watch television, or read.
Judi Dench is a descendant of Claus Bille (1490-1558), who was a grandfather of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601). This was revealed when Dench appeared on the BBC One programme Who Do You Think You Are? in October 2021.