Dame Judi Dench has shared an update on her worsening eyesight loss, telling ITV News that she is unable to do things that the average person takes for granted, including watching television and reading.
In Dench’s recent interview about reuniting with Macbeth co-star Sir Ian McKellen 50 years after their acclaimed production at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the 90-year-old actress was asked about her rare appearances on camera.
“I can’t see anymore. I’ve got that thing,” Dench explained, referring to her continued struggles with age-related macular degeneration. Speaking to McKellen, she continued, “I can see your outline, and I know you so well in your Macbeth scarf.”
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Dench added that she “can’t recognize anybody now,” which may lead some people to think she is ignoring them. “It’s ’cause I can’t see,” she said. “I can’t see the television. Can’t see to read.” This also puts stage productions out of the question.
Instead, Dench is focused on helping the next generation learn Shakespeare. She and McKellen are backing a hands-on approach for understanding the Bard’s plays, which involves classroom tables being pushed back and secondary students acting out their lines.
In 2023, Dench told Graham Norton that acting “has become impossible” and that unfortunately remains true. However, she has done a few commercials since then, including one for the UK disaster relief charity ShelterBox last year. Check that out below.
@itvnews Judi tells ITV News she cannot attend events alone because of her age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which affects her eye sight. #itvnews #judidench #ianmckellen #shakepeare #amd
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