Judi Dench Shares How She Was Persuaded into Film Roles

Judi Dench, a celebrated actress now at 91, recently shared insights from her illustrious career. In a conversation with co-author Brendan O’Hea for her new memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, Dench recounted how Vin Diesel went to great lengths to include her in his 2004 sci-fi film, The Chronicles of Riddick.

Dench described how Diesel visited her at the Haymarket Theatre to propose her involvement in the movie. Before his visit, he sent an enormous floral arrangement. It was so large it had to be left at the stage door. “They were easily the length of a kayak. And as wide,” Dench said, recalling the memorable gesture.

“You can’t say no to a man like that, can you?” she joked. “I’m cheap as chips, me. Far too easily wooed.”

Dench played the role of Aereon, an ethereal alien ambassador, in the film. The movie also featured actors like Colm Feore, Thandiwe Newton, Karl Urban, and Alexa Davalos, alongside Diesel.

Dench shared another occasion when Kenneth Branagh charmed her by gifting an embroidered handkerchief, persuading her to join the cast of Murder on the Orient Express. The handkerchief bore the character’s initials, a thoughtful touch that won her over. Speaking fondly of Branagh, Dench remarked, “But then I’d do anything for Ken. If he said, ‘Will you play a mat on the floor in Three Sisters?’ I’d say, ‘When do I start?’”

She accepted the role in Orient Express, enticed not only by Branagh but also by a stellar cast that included Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Johnny Depp, and Derek Jacobi. In the 2017 mystery film, Dench portrayed Princess Natalia Dragomiroff, a character she described with humor and little fondness, focusing on her opulence and her Shih Tzus.

For those interested in exploring more stories from Dench’s career, her memoir Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It? is now available where books are sold.