Humanitarian of the Week: Dame Judi Dench

Long before she was “M” in the James Bond pictures, long before she was a familiar face on the silver screen, Judi Dench was the queen of the English stage. The daughter of Eleanora and Reginald Dench, young Judi was surrounded by actors as a child. Her mother was a wardrobe mistress and her father was a physician who frequently worked with theater companies. Judi initially considered a career as a set designer, but soon changed her mind when her brother, Jeffery Dench, began studying acting.


Within a few years, Judi Dench had established herself as a leading Shakespearean actor, performing to consistently good notices in productions of Hamlet, Macbeth, and even as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s stage version of Romeo and Juliet. Curiously, her biggest early West End role was that of Sally Bowles in the 1968 London opening of Cabaret. Dench—with her trademark raspy voice—was terrified at the prospect of singing in front of people, so much so that she auditioned for the part from the wings. However, she won the role and offered performances which were soundly celebrated.

Over the years that followed, Dench continued to be one of Britain’s leading stage actors. She also had developed a loyal following through her television work in programs such as As Time Goes By and A Fine Romance among others.

In 1995, Dench made the first of many notable screen appearances with her work in GoldenEye. Soon after, it seemed she was in almost every film and showed her extraordinary range with roles in Mrs. Brown, Tea with Mussolini, Mrs. Henderson Presents, Shakespeare in Love, Chocolat, and many, many others.

Given her busy career as one of the world’s most in-demand actors, you would think that Dench would have time for little else, yet, she makes the time to lend her support and talent to myriad causes which are dear to her heart. Active in the Quaker faith, Dench is also the patron of The Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, The Archway Theatre, The Questors Theatre, The Royalty Society of Arts, and others. For many years, she has supported Survival International—a group dedicated to the preservation of native cultures who could fall victim to the greed of modernization. In 2011, Dench became a patron of the Dr. Hadwen Trust—an organization which funds medical research and discourages medical testing on animals.

In 1970, Dench was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and was promoted to Dame Commander of the order in 1988. In 2005, she was further honored by an appointment as a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour.

For her glorious career and her invaluable service, Dame Judi Dench is our Humanitarian of the Week.