The actor shamed into apologising for insulting Judi Dench: “I am deeply sorry”
Most actors wouldn’t dream of insulting Judi Dench, so being shamed into atoning for their sin isn’t something they’ll ever need to concern themselves with. When it did happen, though, the backlash was so swift, fierce, and overwhelming that a missive was quickly issued to diffuse the situation.
Realistically, who would insult her, anyway? She’s Judi fucking Dench, one of the greatest actors in stage and screen history, and even though she hates being called a national treasure, it’s not as if she hasn’t earned that designation through 70 years of acclaimed and accomplished performances.
Even people who’ve never worked with her are enthralled by her talents, and many of the people who have worked with her found themselves exposed to her mischievous side, whether she was hand-embroidering foul-mouthed messages or making them laugh so hard they pissed themselves in front of an audience.
Seven decades into her career, and you could probably count the number of people who’ve bad-mouthed Dench on one hand. What makes the incident in question especially peculiar is that Marcia Gay Harden didn’t even mention her by name, but everyone was aware who was on the receiving end of her ire, and the apology that came soon after only confirmed what everyone already knew.
Harden won an Academy Award at the very first attempt after emerging victorious in the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ category in 2001, defeating Chocolat‘s Dench, Almost Famous‘ Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand, and Billy Elliot‘s Julie Walters to secure the crowning achievement of her big-screen oeuvre.
“It’s new blood. It just felt great,” she reflected to Vulture. “And by the way, I felt the girls were really happy for me as well. There was one I will not mention, but it wasn’t Kate, who seemingly wasn’t so happy.” Hudson wasn’t the culprit, and when asked if it was Walters, Harden said, “It’s not her.”
She also added that “I’m friends with Frances McDormand,” and by the process of elimination, that left Dench. Because it’s punishable by law in certain quarters to dare speak ill of the diminutive and decorated dame, Harden’s social media was placed under siege by furious Dench fans, blasting her for daring to speak ill of an icon.
Quickly understanding that hell hath no fury like a pro-Judi army scorned, Harden backed down. “I have never met Ms Dench, though, if I had, I am certain I would have found her to be as generous and supportive as she is respective,” the actor wrote. “I am deeply sorry for anything that would have led anyone to think otherwise.”
The weirdest thing about the whole storm in a teacup is that Dench likely had no idea the furore was even happening, since she isn’t one to keep her eyes glued to social media to see if anyone’s talking shit about her. When they did, an apology was rapidly forthcoming.
