Judi Dench author page

Judi Dench biography

Dame Judi Dench is a British actress and author whose career in theatre, television and film spans seven decades. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London and made her professional stage debut as Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet with the Old Vic Company in 1957. She subsequently worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, performing roles including Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Titania and Cleopatra.

Dench has received numerous awards for her performances, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Shakespeare in Love (1998), ten BAFTA awards and eight Laurence Olivier Awards. She was appointed an OBE in 1970, became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1988 and was appointed a Companion of Honour in 2005.

Her published books include Scenes from My Life (2005), And Furthermore (2010) and Judi: Behind the Scenes (2014). The latter, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, is an expanded edition of her earlier photographic memoir, combining photographs with recollections of productions, fellow performers and directors.

In 2023, Dench published Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent through Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Written in collaboration with actor and director Brendan O’Hea, the book takes the form of conversations about the Shakespearean roles she has performed. It examines her interpretations of characters including Ophelia, Lady Macbeth and Cleopatra, alongside accounts of rehearsals, productions and theatrical colleagues. The book also includes original illustrations by Dench. A paperback edition was published by Penguin in September 2024.

Her subsequent memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, was also written in collaboration with Brendan O’Hea. It explores her professional experiences in theatre and film, including her performances in the James Bond series and her Academy Award-winning role in Shakespeare in Love. The book was published by Michael Joseph on 22 October 2026.