Judi Dench

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Lore & Background

Judi Dench's casting as M in *GoldenEye* (1995) marked her first major film role after decades of theatre and television work. She had established herself as one of the most significant British theatre performers, working for the National Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company. In television, she achieved success in the series *A Fine Romance* from 1981 until 1984 and in *As Time Goes By* from 1992 to 2005. Her film appearances were infrequent until she was cast as M.

In Their Own Story

Dench's M in *GoldenEye* brought a new dynamic to the Bond franchise. The decision to portray M as female is often rumoured to have been inspired by the then-head of MI5, Stella Rimington. Dench's performance in the film contributed to her later Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actress in 1999 for *Shakespeare in Love* (1998). She has earned seven other Oscar nominations, for films including *Mrs Brown* (1997), *Chocolat* (2000), *Iris* (2001), *Mrs Henderson Presents* (2005), *Notes on a Scandal* (2006), *Philomena* (2013), and *Belfast* (2021).

Reader's Guide

Judi Dench's role as M in *GoldenEye* (1995) was her first appearance in the James Bond series. She continued to play M in Bond films through to *Spectre* (2015). Her film appearances were infrequent before this role. Dench has received a cumulative total of 27 BAFTA nominations: fifteen for film and twelve for television, winning six and four respectively, for a grand total of ten altogether. Her BAFTA Film Award wins include *A Room with a View* (1985), *A Handful of Dust* (1988), *Mrs Brown* (1997), *Shakespeare in Love* (1998), and *Iris* (2001).

Did You Know?

• Judi Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company.
• She won a BAFTA Award as Most Promising Newcomer for the film *Four in the Morning* (1965).
• The decision to portray M as female is often rumoured to have been inspired by the then-head of MI5, Stella Rimington.
• Dench has received a cumulative total of 27 BAFTA nominations: fifteen for film and twelve for television.
• She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1999 for *Shakespeare in Love* (1998).