Dame Judi Dench is an English actress known for her extensive work on stage and screen. In her over seven decade career she has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, six British Academy Film Awards, four British Academy Television Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Tony Award.
For her roles on film she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the period romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love (1998). She was Oscar-nominated for her roles in Mrs. Brown (1997), Chocolat (2000), Iris (2001), Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005), Notes on a Scandal (2006), Philomena (2013), and Belfast (2021). She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for playing Queen Victoria in the historical drama Mrs. Brown (1997). She also won six competitive British Academy Film Awards.
On stage, she had gained acclaim for her roles on Broadway and the West End. For the former she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role as Esme Allen, a prominent actress in the David Hare play Amy's View (1999) at the 53rd Tony Awards. For her work on the London stage, she received seven competitive Laurence Olivier Awards for her performances in Macbeth (1977), Juno and the Paycock (1980), Pack of Lies (1983), Antony and Cleopatra (1987), Absolute Hell (1996), A Little Night Music (1996), and The Winter's Tale (2016).
For her roles on television she received four British Academy Television Awards, two of which were for her role as Laura in the ITV sitcom A Fine Romance (1981–1984). She was nominated for a BAFTA Award for her role as Jean Mary Pargetter in the BBC1 romantic series As Time Goes By (1992–2005). She was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her roles in the HBO film The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000), the BBC One series Cranford (2007), and its sequel series Return to Cranford (2009).
Overall, in her career to date, Dench has won 55 competitive awards from 203 nominations. She became the first person to complete the British Triple Crown of Acting in 1977 and went on to complete the crown three more times. She holds the record for most acting majors across all six American and British events, winning eighteen and receiving fifty two nominations. In addition, Dench has also received several honorary awards, including the BAFTA Fellowship in 2001, a Special Olivier Award in 2004, and the BFI Fellowship in 2011. Dench was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970, Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II.
Major associations Academy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1998 Best Actress Mrs Brown 1999 Best Supporting Actress Shakespeare in Love 2001 Chocolat 2002 Best Actress Iris 2006 Mrs Henderson Presents 2007 Notes on a Scandal 2014 Philomena 2022Best Supporting ActressBelfast
BAFTA Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Film 1965 Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles Four in the Morning 1985 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Wetherby 1986 A Room with a View 1987 84 Charing Cross Road 1988 A Handful of Dust 1997 Best Actress in a Leading Role Mrs Brown 1998 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Shakespeare in Love 2000 Chocolat 2001 The Shipping News Best Actress in a Leading Role Iris 2005 Mrs Henderson Presents 2006 Notes on a Scandal 2011 Best Actress in a Supporting Role My Week with Marilyn 2012 Skyfall 2013 Best Actress in a Leading Role Philomena Television 1968 Best Actress Talking to a Stranger 1980 On Giant's Shoulders 1982 Going Gently / A Fine Romance / The Cherry Orchard 1983 Best Entertainment Performance A Fine Romance (Series 2) 1984 A Fine Romance (Series 3) Best Actress Saigon: Year of the Cat 1985 Best Entertainment Performance A Fine Romance (Series 4) 1990 Best Actress Behaving Badly 1996 Best Comedy Performance As Time Goes By (Series 5) 1998 As Time Goes By (Series 6) 2001 Best Actress The Last of the Blonde Bombshells 2008 Cranford
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Primetime Emmy Awards 2001 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie The Last of the Blonde Bombshells 2008 Cranford 2010 Return to Cranford International Emmy Awards 2016 Best Performance by an Actress Roald Dahl's Esio Trot
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1998 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Mrs. Brown 1999 Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Shakespeare in Love 2001 Chocolat Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Television Film The Last of the Blonde Bombshells 2002 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Iris 2006 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Mrs. Henderson Presents 2007 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Notes on a Scandal 2009 Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Television Film Cranford 2011 Return to Cranford 2013 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2014 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Philomena 2018 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Victoria & Abdul
Screen Actors Guild Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1998 Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role Mrs. Brown 1999 Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role Shakespeare in Love Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture 2001 Chocolat Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role Outstanding Female Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie The Last of the Blonde Bombshells 2002Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role The Shipping News Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role Iris 2006 Mrs. Henderson Presents 2007 Notes on a Scandal 2010 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Nine 2013 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2014Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role Philomena 2018 Victoria & Abdul 2022 Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Belfast
Olivier Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1977 Actress of the Year in a Revival Macbeth 1980 Juno and the Paycock 1982 The Importance of Being Earnest Actress of the Year in a New Play Other Places 1983 Pack of Lies 1987 Actress of the Year Antony and Cleopatra 1992 Best Director of a Musical The Boys from Syracuse 1993 Best Actress The Gift of the Gorgon 1996 Absolute Hell Best Actress in a Musical A Little Night Music 1998 Best Actress Amy's View 1999 Filumena 2005 Best Performance in a Supporting Role All's Well That Ends Well 2014 Best Actress Peter and Alice 2016 Best Actress in a Supporting Role The Winter's Tale
Tony Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1999 Best Actress in a Play Amy's View
Other Theatre awards Organizations Year Category Work Result Drama Desk Awards 1999 Outstanding Actress in a Play Amy's View Outer Critics Circle Award 1999 Outstanding Actress in a Play Amy's View Evening Standard Theatre Awards 1980 Best Actress Juno and the Paycock 1982 A Kind of Alaska / The Importance of Being Earnest 1987 Antony and Cleopatra
Critics awards Organizations Year Category Work Result Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards2008 Lifetime Achievement Award Herself 2011 Actress Defying Age and Ageism J. Edgar 2012 Skyfall Female Icon Award for Humanitarian Activism 2013 EDA Award for Best Actress Philomena Actress Defying Age and Ageism Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 2006 Best Actress Notes on a Scandal 2013 Philomena Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 1997 Best Actress Mrs Brown 2006 Notes on a Scandal 2012 Best Supporting Actress Skyfall Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2005 Best Actress in a Movie Mrs Henderson Presents 2006 Notes on a Scandal 2009 Best Acting Ensemble in a Movie Nine 2012 Best Actress in an Action Movie Skyfall Best Supporting Actress in a Movie 2013 Best Actress in a Movie Philomena 2022 Best Acting Ensemble Belfast Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2015 Best Shakespearean Performance The Winter's Tale Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards 2000 Best Supporting Actress Chocolat 2001 The Shipping News 2006 Best Actress Notes on a Scandal 2013 Philomena Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards 2013 Best Actress Philomena Florida Film Critics Circle 2013 Best Actress Philomena Georgia Film Critics Association 2012 Best Supporting Actress Skyfall 2013 Best Actress Philomena Houston Film Critics Society 2013 Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Philomena Kansas City Film Critics Circle 1998 Best Supporting Actress Shakespeare in Love Las Vegas Film Critics Society 2001 Best Actress Iris London Film Critics' Circle 1997 British Actress of the Year Mrs Brown 2001 Iris 2004 Ladies in Lavender 2005 Mrs Henderson Presents 2006 Notes on a Scandal Actress of the Year 2012 Supporting Actress of the Year Skyfall British Actress of the Year The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel / Skyfall 2013 Philomena Actress of the Year Los Angeles Film Critics Association 2005 Best Actress Mrs Henderson Presents National Board of Review Awards 2005 Best Acting by an Ensemble Mrs Henderson Presents National Society of Film Critics 1997 Best Actress Mrs Brown 1998 Best Supporting Actress Shakespeare in Love 2006 Notes on a Scandal Best Actress New York Film Critics Circle 1997 Best Actress Mrs Brown 1998 Best Supporting Actress Shakespeare in Love 2005 Best Actress Mrs Henderson Presents 2006 Notes on a Scandal Phoenix Film Critics Society 2001 Best Actress Iris 2012 Best Supporting Actress Skyfall 2013 Best Actress Philomena Russian Guild of Film Critics 2001 Best Foreign Actress Iris San Diego Film Critics Society 2000 Best Supporting Actress Chocolat San Francisco Film Critics Circle 2013 Best Actress Philomena Society of Texas Film Critics 1997 Best Actress Mrs Brown Southeastern Film Critics Association 1997 Best Actress Mrs Brown 1998 Best Supporting Actress Shakespeare in Love 2013 Best Actress Philomena St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association 2005 Best Actress Mrs Henderson Presents 2006 Notes on a Scandal 2013 Philomena Toronto Film Critics Association 2006 Best Actress Notes on a Scandal Utah Film Critics Association 1997 Best Actress Mrs Brown 1998 Best Supporting Actress Shakespeare in Love 2001 Best Actress Iris Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards 2006 Best Actress Notes on a Scandal Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2009 Best Ensemble Nine 2013 Best Actress Philomena Women Film Critics Circle Awards 2013 Best Actress Philomena
Miscellaneous awards