Finty Williams, the only daughter of Dame Judi Dench and the late Michael Williams, has spoken candidly about her struggles with self-loathing and body image issues during her time as a drama student. In a podcast hosted by Dr Christian Jessen, the 46-year-old actress revealed that these feelings led her to turn to alcohol, which nearly cost her her life.
Williams described feeling physically and intellectually inadequate compared to her peers at the Central School of Speech and Drama, saying she thought she was 'boring, short and round' and did not belong. She admitted that she used alcohol as a crutch to cope with her insecurities, often being the first to the bar and buying drinks for others.
Even after establishing her acting career with roles in films such as 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' and 'Gosford Park', Williams continued to rely on alcohol. Following her father's death in 2001, her drinking spiralled out of control, leading to a second drink-driving conviction and a five-year driving ban. Her mother, Dame Judi Dench, intervened and placed her in rehab two weeks after her father's funeral. Williams has been sober ever since, realising that continuing to drink would have killed her.
