Dame Judi Dench, 88, has revealed that she can no longer read her own scripts due to advanced macular degeneration, prompting her to seek a machine that can help her learn lines. The Oscar-winning actress, known for roles in Skyfall and Shakespeare in Love, has been open about her condition, which affects central vision and makes reading and recognising faces difficult.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, Dame Judi said: 'It has become impossible and because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page.' She added that she used to find it easy to learn lines and could still recite the entirety of Twelfth Night from memory.
The actress previously told Louis Theroux that she does not want to retire, despite her sight loss. 'It's bad, bad enough. Bad enough in that you're quite fuzzy,' she said. 'I've got to teach myself a new way of learning. I have a photographic memory so a person saying to me, “This is your line”—I can do that.'
Dame Judi's comments come ahead of the release of her new film Allelujah, which she described as 'a big cheer for the NHS'. She praised the cast and said the film's release was well-timed. The actress has previously used AI glasses to help her read, and continues to work with the support of assistants who help her navigate her condition.
