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The iconic actress Judi Dench has opened up about the impact of growing older on her vision and recall, revealing she frequently finds it hard to recall upcoming appointments – yet can effortlessly recite long sections of the Bard's work.

"I have no memory of what I'm doing tomorrow, I swear to you," she told a magazine.

Her assistants verified that such reminders are at times required. Dench added that her age-related macular degeneration now means faces to appear "in a fog" even up close.

A Condition That 'Crushes'

"It's devastating," she remarked, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie hosting Mastermind," she continued, "but I can still hear the questions."

The actress, celebrating 91 on Tuesday, is leading a new documentary about her longstanding relationship with Shakespeare's works. Audiences will also see her being interviewed by Kenneth Branagh in another programme set for broadcast over the Christmas holidays.

On Friends and Exoneration

Dench also mentioned remaining in touch with actor Kevin Spacey, who was acquitted of assault allegations in 2023. "Kevin has been exonerated," Dench affirmed, "and we are in contact, we text."

Earlier this year, Dench said she needs full-time assistance in public for fear of tripping due to her failing eyesight. She was first diagnosed with the eye condition in 2012, a degenerative disease that is the primary reason of sight loss in the UK.

Coping with New Realities

Dench has attributed the condition with her effective stepping back from film work. "I can no longer see properly on set," she said in 2023, adding: "Reading is also impossible. But you just cope."

"It's difficult if I have any length of a part. I have not discovered a way. Because I have so many friends who will teach me the script."

Dench's most recent screen credit was a brief part in the 2022 holiday film Spirited; earlier that year she had a larger role in Allelujah. That year also brought her her eighth Academy Award nod for Belfast.

A Continued Public Presence

She continues to appear frequently in public, nevertheless, including at charity events like one last month alongside Ian McKellen. In May, she participated in a live sculpture for charity. She noted she would not be able to see the finished sculpture, but would touch it "if permitted."