Both People Magazine and US Weekly have extensive interviews with Judi Dench this week to promote The Second Best Exotic Marigold hotel, which was out this weekend. The film was third at the box office and is doing moderately well with critics. It also costars Maggie Smith, Dev Patel and Bill Nighy. It’s hard for me to get to the movies but I’ll definitely see it once it comes out on DVD. The first film was a nice change of pace.
I know that Judi doesn’t get a lot of interest because she’s not particularly controversial, but I just love to read her interviews. She doesn’t mince words at all and she speaks so much truth. I’m going to condense her People and US interviews into the best quotes, but if you like Judi I would recommend you pick up the magazines for more. These nice in-depth interviews are the best reasons to buy print magazines. Also, I was just reminded that Judi is 80 years old. I cover her often and I just assume she’s in her early 70s tops. (I would say 60s if she wasn’t famous and I hadn’t googled her age and forgotten it multiple times.) Here’s some of what she said:
On losing her eyesight to macular degeneration
My eyes only affect me if I’m somewhere dark and there are steps and I don’t see very well. I couldn’t go on the Underground [subway] now without somebody. I have all my scripts blown up. If six of us were coming in to read a sonnet, they’d all have one piece of paper and I’d have two or three. Or I have people read things to me. [People]On aging
There’s nothing good about being my age. Someone said to me, ‘You have such a wealth of knowledge.’ I just said, ‘I’d rather be young and know nothing, actually.’ Bugger the wealth of knowledge. I suppose there are good things, but you have to find them. [People]On people assuming she’s going to retire
It maddens me! I say that it’s not in my vocabulary, retirement. And if I can’t do one thing, then I’ll learn something new. [US]On working with Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hollow Crown
I’ve known Benedict since he was a little boy. His mother and I went to school together. I send him and his new wife huge love. I’ve been thinking of him, and his ma and pa. [US]On working with Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith and I were at the Old Vic together in 1958! We’ve done plays together, films together… You have a shorthand with someone you know very, very well… [People]On hanging out and playing Banagrams with Maggie Smith
We swam a lot. And I loved this game called Bananagrams. Our hotel in Udaipur had this channel of water all the way around that our rooms looked out onto. One day I was swimming and Maggie – we’re old friends – called and said, ‘Judi! Get the Bananagrams!’ I swam back, got the game and tied it to my head and swam back around. I remember sitting outside, playing it into the night. [US]On her pets and her legendary goldfish
I have one cat, one dog, which is my daughter’s, and this immense, legendary goldfish… I got him when he was very small. He’s died twice and I’ve blown into his mouth to save him. Now, he’s so big! People think I’m very eccentric. I am a bit eccentric, I know. But I’m mad about this fish and the fact that he came back to life twice. He’s now called Lazarus. He was called Scooby Doo. [US]
[From People and US Magazines, print editions, March 16, 2015]
She’s great, right? What I wouldn’t give to play Bananagrams on the beach with Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. I’ve never played that game but from what I know it’s similar to scrabble without a board.
That’s the best story about her epic goldfish. Long live Lazarus! Oh and both People and US have quotes from Judy (perhaps from the same press conference) on if she ever would guest with Maggie on Downton Abbey. (We heard recently that Maggie would leave Downton next year, but a publicist for the show said that’s not true.) Judi said that Maggie had never asked her to guest and that she didn’t know if she’d do it. She said she’d “miss watching” Downton if she was on the show.
Also, I didn’t realize that Benedict Cumberbatch had older parents or that his mom is an actress. I know her from Sherlock. Kaiser told me that Benedict is the one who convinced Judi to star in Richard III (part of The Hollow Crown series) for the BBC. It comes out in 2016.
Bananagrams rock. Would love to play with you, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith or anyone else any time, anywhere!!!
Am I the only who is sad that they’ll never play banagrams with these two?
I may be wrong – but don’t fish get their oxygen from their gills? If using techniques to save a human life works…well, maybe I’ll work on my next dead fish…
I guess I would feel the same if I had macular degeneration, but I still want her and Helen Mirren to teach me how to be a hot old chick when I get older. Show me your witchy ways, ladies!
She is amazing. That would be a fab vacation-hanging out with Judi and Magge Smith! I am so happy she is working so much.
At least she’s honest, it’s refreshing actually to have an older person admit it sucks.
I know, right? It would be one thing if I actually believed that people thought that way about aging, but I don’t.
‘I LOVE getting older,’ is like the new ‘I eat what I want, and I don’t really exercise that much…’ Not that I don’t think that it is true for some people, but it definitely comes across as something celebrities say to give off an illusion. Honesty is nice.
I think it’s true to a point. I like a lot of things about being in my 50s. But I can see how over 80, the bad outweighs the good. Scary, to be honest.
I’d rather hear the lies. Either I’ll be 80 someday or I’ll be dead. In either case, I want to believe it comes with a sense of absolute freedom to say what you want and live how you want.
Came on here to say, WOW! Cannot believe that Dame Judi is 80! She looks fabulous!!
LIES!
Well, she is a known liar.
The documentary Muse of Fire interviews Judi in her garden about Shakespeare and she is absolutely wonderful
She is extraordinary. I’m amazed by some of these actresses, working into their 80s and doing some of the best work in their lives.
Now, this 80 year-old woman’s looks and lifestyle – that’s truly aspirational, Goop.
That was sobering but I love the honesty.
She looks great and still does what she wants at her age. I only wanted to get older until I was 21. I’ve been 29 for 7 years.
Ha! My first annual 29th birthday is later this month.
I guess how you feel about her comments on aging depends on how close to her age you are.
As a 44 year old, I can honestly say things have only gotten better as I’ve gotten older. My 20s were too tumultuous, and I was too insecure, and had sooooo much to prove. But then my 30s were mostly fun, and the 40s have been the best decade yet.
So I don’t like hearing that being old sucks. 🙁 But I guess all you can do is make the best of it, and it sounds like she’s doing just that. I love Dame Dench.
Yes, I said the same above. I’m still enjoying being older, but I’m in good health. Over 80, or at some point, everything starts failing on you, and you simply can’t live your life the way you’d like. I guess all you can do is admit that and get on with doing whatever you can do.
Her honesty is refreshing. I remember seeing her get teary-eyed when she talked about losing her husband years back; maybe if he were around and she didn’t have macular degeneration, she’d be more satisfied. Actually, she doesn’t seem too unhappy, just candid.
I think you’re probably right about her husband. He was adorable and they worked together all the time. She might feel differently if they were doing the aging thing together. Great to have friends and family, but a really beloved spouse leaves an awfully big empty spot.
I hate getting older! I’m only in my 50’s and already my body is starting to fall apart! I loved my 20’s I went to school made lots of friends and had a great time. My 30’s were pure hell for me,young kids,work,home, taking care of a dying parent I couldn’t wait for things to get better.I was hit with a severe depression and early menopause ( at 42) wasn’t prepared for that one! So here I am in my 50’s and I had a few health scares and now I could be facing arm/shoulder surgery because of torn ligaments and mobility is becoming a huge problem, like driving, but hay, It could be worse. I just keep on moving on and take one day at a time.
I’m going to commit to my yoga exercise so I can enjoy being 80 when the time comes… I think there’s not much one can do when it comes to aging and your body growing old but if you are in the best shape you can manage it has to be somewhat easier.
Any age can suffer from bad health and physical disabilities, the 80’s aren’t too bad if you can still hop on a bus , have your own home, medical insurance and family members close by who care about you, but how true that ‘youth is wasted on the young’.
I admire her honesty. Getting old is as they say “better than the alternative” but I’m 42 and if given the choice I’d chose to go back to my 20’s or 30’s. Age is so relative-I remember turning 30 and feeling so old and really struggling with it. Now I look at 20 somethings as kids and 30 somethings as young adults. I don’t mean to say that people shouldn’t feel fortunate that they have lived healthfully into their senior years but if you are young and healthy that feeling of having your whole life in front of you is really a wonderful thing.
I loved 30. I felt a distinct, liberating shift the day before my 30th birthday. But 20s and 30s were difficulty…probably early 30s were the best…I was okay until 39 when I realized that I hadn’t set any goals or reached any, was still single with no viable prospects, and nowhere near where I wished as far as career, still struggling as if I were just out of college. I’m 42 now and still stressed out about my age and despite eating healthily and exercising every day, things hurt more than they used to and I feel my eggs drying up…I feel acutely aware that my life is probably more than half over and yet seems like I am still just beginning but without the benefits of youthful health and looks… Maybe it’ll take a year or two to get over the slump…I hope so…I can’t imagine feeling this way for the next 40 years (if I have even that).