Judi Dench Biography (1934-)



Full name, Judith Olivia Dench; born December 9, 1934, in York, England; daughter of Reginald Arthur and Eleanora Olave (Jones) Dench; married Michael Williams (an actor), February 5, 1971; children: Tara Cressida Frances Williams(also known as Finty Williams; an actress). Education: Studied at Mount School, York, England; trained for the stage at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art (also known as the Central School of Speech and Drama). Religion: Religious Society of Friends. Avocational interests: Painting, drawing, sewing, swimming, catching up with letters. Addresses: Agent-- Tor Belfrage, Julian Belfrage Associates, 46 Albemarle St., London W1X 4PP, England; William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Career: Actress. Old Vic Company, London, England, member of the company, 1957-61. Also known as Dame Judi Dench. Awards, Honors: British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award, most outstanding newcomer to leading film roles, 1965, for Four in the Morning; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award, best television actress, and Guild of Directors Award, best actress, both 1967, for Talkingto a Stranger; London Critics Award, Variety Club of Great Britain, bestactress, 1967, for The Promise; Laurence Olivier Award, Society of West End Theatre, actress of the year, 1977, for Macbeth; Laurence Olivier Award, Society of West End Theatre, best actress, c. 1978, for The Comedy of Errors; honorary doctor of letters, Warwick University, 1978, and York University, 1983; named to the Order of the British Empire, 1980; Evening Standard Award and Plays and Players Award, both best actress,Laurence Olivier Award, Society of West End Theatre, and Variety Club of Great Britain Award, both actress of the year, all 1980, for Juno and the Paycock; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Television Award, best television actress, 1981, for Going Gently; British Academy of Film andTelevision Arts Television Award, best television actress, 1981, for TheCherry Orchard; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Television Awards, best television actress, 1981, and best light entertainment performance, 1984, both for A Fine Romance; Plays and Players Award and Evening Standard Award, both best actress, 1983, for The Importance of Being Earnest; Laurence Olivier Award, Society of West End Theatre, andPlays and Players Award, both best actress, 1983, for Pack of Lies; Evening Standard Award, best actress, 1983, for A Kind of Alaska; American Cinema Editors Award, best actress, c. 1985, for Mr. andMrs. Edgehill; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award, best actress in a supporting role, 1986, for A Room with a View; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award nomination, best actress ina supporting role, 1986, for Wetherby; Laurence Olivier Award, Societyof West End Theatre, actress of the year, Evening Standard Award, best actress, and Drama Award, all 1987, for Antony and Cleopatra;British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award nomination, best actress in a supporting role, 1988, for 84 Charing Cross Road; American Cinema Editors Award, 1988, for Ghosts; named Dame Commander of the British Empire, 1988; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award nomination, best actress in a supporting role, 1989, for A Handful of Dust; British Academy of Film and Television Arts Television Award nomination, best actress, 1990, for Behaving Badly; Laurence Olivier Awards, Societyof West End Theatre, best actress and best actress in a musical, both 1996,for A Little Night Music; Laurence Olivier Award, Society of West EndTheatre, best actress, 1996, for Absolute Hell; Rothermore Award, 1997, for lifetime achievement; Online Film Critics Society Award, best actress,and Critics Circle Award, both 1997, Golden Globe Award, best performance byan actress in a supporting role in a motion picture, British Academy of Filmand Television Arts Film Award and British Academy of Film and Television Arts Scotland Award, both best performance by an actress in a leading role, Chicago Film Critics Association Award, best actress, Golden Satellite Award, best performance by an actress in a motion picture--drama, Academy Award nomination, best actress, and Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role, all 1998, all for Mrs. Brown; Critics Circle Drama Award, 1997, and Antoinette Perry Award, best actress in a play, 1999, both for Amy's View; Academy Award and National Society of Film Critics Award, both best supporting actress, British Academy of Film and Television Arts Film Award, best performance by an actress in asupporting role, Screen Actors Guild Award (with others), outstanding performance by a cast, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a motion picture, and Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role, all1999, for Shakespeare in Love; Laurence Olivier Award nomination, Society of West End Theatre, c. 1999, for Filumena; United Kingdom Entertainment Personality of the Year Award, Variety Club of Great Britain, 1999; Evening Standard Award, Plays and Players Awards, and Drama Award, all for Other Places; Critics Circle Award, for "outstandingservice to the arts"; Gold Medal, Elsie Fogarty Prize, and William Poel Memorial Prize, all from the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art. Addresses: Agent: Tor Belfrage, Julian Belfrage Associates, 46 Albemarle St., London W1X 4PP, England; William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality
English
Gender
Female
Occupation
Actress
Birth Details
December 9, 1934
York, England

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