Dench, Dame Judi (Judith) Olivia

views updated May 29 2018

Dench, Dame Judi (Judith) Olivia (1934– ) English actress. Dench began her career with the Old Vic (1957–61) before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. She received an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Victoria in Mrs Brown (1997), and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1998). Other films include 84 Charing Cross Road (1986), A Handful of Dust (1987), and Iris (2001).