Dame Judi Dench, an English actress and screen legend, was born on December 9, 1934. She studied at the Mount School in New York, and attended the Central School of Speech and Drama. She has developed a reputation as one of the finest actresses of the post-war period, mainly for her work in theatre. In 1970, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire, and in 1988 she became Dame Commander of the British Empire and a Companion of Honour in 2005. Growing up in the company of theatre performers, Dame Judi Dench made her first professional stage appearance at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool, as Ophelia in Hamlet. She remained a member of the Old Vic Company for four seasons, and is acclaimed for her roles as Katherine in Henry V in 1958 and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
Judi Dench continued acting in theatre, making her Stratford-upon-Avon debut in April 1962, playing Isabella in Measure for Measure. One of her most prominent achievements is her portrayal of Lady Macbeth in Trevor Nunn’s production of Macbeth in 1976. She won the Best Actress Award of SWET (Society of London Theatre) in 1977. Her performances in the London Stage has garnered her several awards, including six Laurence Olivier Awards. Her portrayal of M in the James Bond series in 1995 gained her worldwide fame. In 1999, she won the Tony Award for her role as Esme Allen in Amy’s View.
Her film career has also been a remarkable success. She has acquired six Academy Awards in nine years. One is for a nomination for Mrs. Brown in 1997. She was given an Academy Award for her performance as Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love, in Chocolat in 2000, for the lead role in Iris in 2001, for 2005’s Mrs. Henderson Presents and 2006’s Notes on a Scandal. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Barbra Covett, and received nominations for Golden Globe, Academy Award, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild.