Judi Dench School, a Quaker independent secondary school in York, and became a Quaker. Her brothers, one of whom was actor Jeffery Dench, were born in Tyldesley, Lancashire. Her niece, Emma Dench, is a historian of ancient Rome and professor previously at Birkbeck, University of London, and currently at Harvard University. In Britain, Dench has developed a reputation as one of the greatest actresses of the post-war period, primarily through her work in theatre, which has been her forte throughout her career. She has more than once been named number one in polls for Britain's best actor. Through her parents, Dench had
Judi Dench Dench established herself as one of the most significant British theatre performers, working for the National Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company. She received critical praise in television during this period, in the series "A Fine Romance" from 1981 until 1984, and from 1992 to 2005 with a starring role in the romantic comedy series "As Time Goes By". Her film appearances were infrequent, and included supporting roles in major films, such as "A Room with a View" (1986), before she rose to international fame as M in "GoldenEye" (1995), a role she continued to play in James Bond