Dame Judi Dench Turns 90! See Her Incredible Life in Photos

Mar. 15, 2025

Judi Dench.Photo:Bob Haswell/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty

Bob Haswell/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty

Dame Judi Denchis 90 today!Born and bred in the U.K., Dame Judi is considered one of the best actresses to come out of her country, as she has forgeda career that spans six decades. The actress got her start in the theater in the late ’50s and expanded to film and television in the decades that followed. An Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony and BAFTA award-winner, there isn’t a part that Dench hasn’t brought her heart, regalness and poise to.As we celebrate the acclaimed star’s 90th birthday, take a look at her incredible life in photos, below.

Dame Judi Denchis 90 today!

Born and bred in the U.K., Dame Judi is considered one of the best actresses to come out of her country, as she has forgeda career that spans six decades. The actress got her start in the theater in the late ’50s and expanded to film and television in the decades that followed. An Oscar, Golden Globe, Tony and BAFTA award-winner, there isn’t a part that Dench hasn’t brought her heart, regalness and poise to.

As we celebrate the acclaimed star’s 90th birthday, take a look at her incredible life in photos, below.

01of 13Judi Dench’s Early YearsgettyJudith Olivia Dench was born on Dec. 9, 1934, in Heworth, York in the United Kingdom. The youngest of three, she had two older brothers named Peter and Jeffery.Love for the arts came naturally for Judi as both her parents were involved with York Theatre Royale and while she acted in some of the productions, she was actually trained as a set designer.Things changed, however, when her brother Jeff began attending the Central School for Speech and Drama and Judi followed suit. She’s seen here in a photo commemorating her first stage role, in 1957

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Judi Dench’s Early Years

getty

Judith Olivia Dench was born on Dec. 9, 1934, in Heworth, York in the United Kingdom. The youngest of three, she had two older brothers named Peter and Jeffery.

Love for the arts came naturally for Judi as both her parents were involved with York Theatre Royale and while she acted in some of the productions, she was actually trained as a set designer.

Things changed, however, when her brother Jeff began attending the Central School for Speech and Drama and Judi followed suit. She’s seen here in a photo commemorating her first stage role, in 1957

02of 13Judi Dench Heads to the TheaterJudi Dench.gettyDench made her professional debut with the Old Vic Company in 1957. Above, she is pictured during dress rehearsals forHamlet— one of the many roles she would star in while there.

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Judi Dench Heads to the Theater

Judi Dench.getty

Dench made her professional debut with the Old Vic Company in 1957. Above, she is pictured during dress rehearsals forHamlet— one of the many roles she would star in while there.

03of 13Judi Dench Joins the Royal Shakespeare CompanygettyShe would go on to join the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1961 and made her debut portraying Anya in Anton Chekhov’sThe Cherry Orchard.She also played the part of Isabella in Shakespeare’sMeasure for Measure.

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Judi Dench Joins the Royal Shakespeare Company

She would go on to join the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1961 and made her debut portraying Anya in Anton Chekhov’sThe Cherry Orchard.She also played the part of Isabella in Shakespeare’sMeasure for Measure.

04of 13Judi Dench in ActiongettyThe actress was photographed in action as Hermione inThe Winter’s Taleat The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1969.

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Judi Dench in Action

The actress was photographed in action as Hermione inThe Winter’s Taleat The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1969.

05of 13Judi Dench Transitions to TelevisionJudi Dench.gettyThough she remained a major player in the theatre space, Judi also dabbled in television acting. She snagged her first role playing the lead in an adaptation ofHilda Lesswayin 1959 and then played the young Estella inGreat Expectations.

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Judi Dench Transitions to Television

Though she remained a major player in the theatre space, Judi also dabbled in television acting. She snagged her first role playing the lead in an adaptation ofHilda Lesswayin 1959 and then played the young Estella inGreat Expectations.

06of 13Judi Dench Becomes a MotherDame Judi Dench and her family.gettyDame Judi married her late husband Michael Williams in 1971. The couple would welcome their only child,daughter Finty, in 1972.Judi and Williams were together for 30 years until his death from lung cancer in 2001.

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Judi Dench Becomes a Mother

Dame Judi Dench and her family.getty

Dame Judi married her late husband Michael Williams in 1971. The couple would welcome their only child,daughter Finty, in 1972.

Judi and Williams were together for 30 years until his death from lung cancer in 2001.

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In 1989, Dench scored the role of Bridget Mayor in the acclaimed television dramaBehaving Badly.

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With a strong career in theatre and television under her belt, it was only natural that Dench would go to the big screen. The actress got her first starring role playing Queen Victoria inMrs. Brown.

And despite her enormously successful film career, she said at the beginning,she was told it would never happen: “[A director I auditioned for] was perfectly nice. But at the end he said, ‘You’ll never make a film. You have the wrong face,’ And I said that is fine, I don’t like film anyway. I want to go back to the theatre.”

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Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench.Keith Hamshere/Danjaq/Eon/Ua/Kobal/Shutterstock

Keith Hamshere/Danjaq/Eon/Ua/Kobal/Shutterstock

She also became the the first woman to play James Bond’s boss, M, in the007franchise, inThe World Is Not Enoughwith Pierce Brosnan.

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Judi Dench’s Honors

POOL Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty

Justdon’t call her a national treasure! “It’s a terrible label. So dusty, so dreary,” she said several years ago. “It relegates me to being an 86-year-old woman. Whereas in my mind’s eye I’m 6-ft. and willowy and about 39.”

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Judi Dench Wins All the Awards

Dame Judi Dench.SGranitz/WireImage

SGranitz/WireImage

With a career as robust as hers, it’s no surprise Dame Judi has amassed tons of awards. She’s been nominated for eight Academy Awards since 1997, winning one in 1998 for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I inShakespeare in Love(famously for a performance in which she was only onscreen for five minutes).

12of 13Judi Dench Finds Love AgainJudi Dench and her partner David Mills.HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty ImagesIn 2010, Dench met her partner David Mills, a conservationist, after she visited his wildlife center and he spotted her from his office.

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Judi Dench Finds Love Again

Judi Dench and her partner David Mills.HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images

HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images

In 2010, Dench met her partner David Mills, a conservationist, after she visited his wildlife center and he spotted her from his office.

13of 13Judi Dench Steps Back from ActingKarwai Tang/WireImageAs a result of the macular degeneration she’s been experiencing for more than a decade, Judi Dench told Graham Norton on his show thatit’s become nearly impossible to act anymore, primarily because she relies on a physical script to memorize her lines.“Because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page,” the Oscar winner said. “I used to find it very easy to learn lines and remember them. I could do the whole ofTwelfth Nightright now … I have to learn through repetition, and I just hope that people won’t notice too much if all the lines are completely hopeless!”

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Judi Dench Steps Back from Acting

Karwai Tang/WireImage

As a result of the macular degeneration she’s been experiencing for more than a decade, Judi Dench told Graham Norton on his show thatit’s become nearly impossible to act anymore, primarily because she relies on a physical script to memorize her lines.

“Because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page,” the Oscar winner said. “I used to find it very easy to learn lines and remember them. I could do the whole ofTwelfth Nightright now … I have to learn through repetition, and I just hope that people won’t notice too much if all the lines are completely hopeless!”

source: people.com