Dame Judith Olivia Dench CH, DBE, FRSA (born 9 December 1934) is an English retired actress. Widely … See more

Dench was born in the Heworth area of York on 9 December 1934, the daughter of an Irish mother and English father. Her mother, Eleanora Olive (née Jones) (1897–1983), was born in Dublin; her father, Reginald A… See more

Dench made her first professional stage appearance in September 1957 with the Old Vic Company at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, as Ophelia in Hamlet. According to the reviewer for London Evening Standard, Dench had … See more

In March 2013, Dench was listed as one of the fifty best-dressed over-50s by The Guardian. One of the highest-profile actresses in British popular culture, Dench appeared on Debrett's 2017 list of the most influential p… See more

Dench is a long-time resident of Outwood, Surrey. A Quaker since her school years, she said of her faith in 2013, "I think it informs everything I do. [...] I couldn't be without it." She is a long-time supporter of Liverpool-based … See more

Among her numerous accolades for her acting work, Dench has won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in the romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love (1998). She has receive… See more