Dame Judi Dench has spoken candidly about her deteriorating eyesight, describing the impact of macular degeneration as “a crusher” as she marked her 91st birthday on Tuesday.
The Oscar-winning actress has been living with the degenerative eye condition for more than a decade and revealed that it has now advanced to the point where she can no longer see faces clearly, even at close range.
“I can see you, but I can’t see your face,” she said, explaining that people’s features now appear “in a fog”. She added that she still switches on the television, but only to listen rather than watch.
Forced to step back from work
Dench, whose portrayal of spymaster M across eight James Bond films cemented her global fame, said last year that her sight loss had effectively forced her to retire from acting on screen and stage.
Despite concerns about her vision, she noted that she can still recall long passages of Shakespeare, even as she sometimes struggles to remember daily plans, and admitted she worries about possible cognitive decline.
Cautious on Harvey Weinstein
Dench was more reserved when asked about disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, who worked with her on Shakespeare in Love and was once a close professional ally.
She has previously condemned his behaviour, but when asked for her thoughts now, she replied: “I imagine he’s done his time. I don’t know, to me it’s personal – forgiveness. I just think…” before trailing off, declining to elaborate further.
Dench, who has been nominated for seven Academy Awards and won best supporting actress in 1999 for Shakespeare in Love, remains one of Britain’s most revered performers, even as she confronts the realities of ageing and sight loss.
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