How many James Bond movies was Judi Dench in?
There are a number of things that have become synonymous with James Bond movies: violence, flirtation, alcohol, sex, the villain, the hero, the trap, the inevitable escape, and, of course, one of the main reasons that people continue tuning into these spy thrillers: Judi Dench.
As the conversation continues to heat up about who the next James Bond could possibly be, it’s worth noting that an actor who has surpassed many of the James Bonds who have taken to the screen in recent years is Judi Dench with her portrayal of M. In this role, she assumes the position of head of MI6, someone who constantly tries to keep the country safe and James Bond in check.
In her persistent portrayal of M in these movies, Dench ended up being the longest-recurring character in the entire franchise. She is also the only actor to appear in the original movies and the rebooted versions. She was such a pillar in the franchise that when Skyfall arrived, and it felt as though James Bond needed revitalising and a drastic change had to shake things up; the most dramatic thing filmmakers could think of was killing her character off.
Despite being an Oscar-winning actor and someone now synonymous with Shakespeare’s words, Dench took great pride in her role as M. She wanted to bring an element of seriousness to her character that was believable. Brendan O’Hea once commented on working with her on James Bond, saying he was surprised by how seriously she took the role.
“Yes, Quantum of Solace. That’s when I saw Jude’s serious side,” he recalled. “She said, ‘I won’t be mucking about on that – I’m very serious on the Bond films.’ She didn’t even crack a smile.” After O’Hea’s comments were relayed to her, Dench responded: “No, not one… I took that role very seriously.”
Dench became intrinsically linked with the character of M as she continued to appear in James Bond movies, reprising a role that began to mean more and more to her. She appeared in seven James Bond movies in total, eight if you count her brief cameo in Spectre. From 1995 (GoldenEye) to 2015 (Spectre), it was impossible to imagine a James Bond film without Dench, and even now, as people discuss who could be the next James Bond, it feels odd knowing they won’t star alongside such acting royalty.
What was Judi Dench’s first movie?
Early in her career, Judi Dench predominantly worked in the theatre. She made her professional debut on stage with the Old Vic Company. Over the next few years, she would make a name for herself on stage in the likes of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. While her favourite work was on stage performing Shakespeare, she also did some work in film.
Her film debut was in 1964 when she starred in The Third Secret. The movie was directed by Charles Crichton, who seemed to see the potential in Dench as he cast her in another film the following year, He Who Rides a Tiger. Dench was also awarded by Bafta for her film roles as the ‘Most Promising Newcomer’.
…and what movie did Judi Dench win her Oscar for?
Her Most Promising Newcomer Award marked the first in a long line of acting awards Dench would win. Undoubtedly, one of the awards she is proudest of is her Oscar for ‘Best Actress’ in 1998. She won this for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love. Her performance was so outstanding that she won the Oscar despite only being on screen for eight minutes.
She has been nominated for Oscars for a number of other roles, including in Chocolat, Iris, Belfast, Philomena and Notes on a Scandal.
