Judi Dench Never Watched Her 75-Year Dream Movie
The legendary actress finally got to work with Clint Eastwood on J Edgar after waiting decades, but she refuses to watch the finished film for a surprising reason.
Most people would assume that if you spent your entire life waiting for one special opportunity, and it got filmed for everyone to see, you'd watch it at least once. But Judi Dench proves that assumption wrong - she never bothered to see the movie she'd been dreaming about for 75 years. Maybe she has perfect memory and can replay every moment in her head. Or perhaps she thinks of it as one of those experiences where you simply had to be there in person.
The Phone Call She'd Always Wanted
Sure, plenty of actors skip watching their own movies unless they absolutely have to, but you'd think a project this meaningful would be different. The Oscar-winning legend could barely contain her excitement when she got that long-awaited phone call, yet even that wasn't enough to get her to sit down and watch the whole thing from start to finish.
You might expect someone like Dench, who's won practically every major award out there, to be way past getting nervous around other big stars, especially at this stage of her career. But Clint Eastwood has a way of making everyone feel starstruck. When the Hollywood legend called to ask if she wanted to play Annie Hoover in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie J Edgar, there was no way she'd turn it down. "When he rang me up, my voice went up several octaves," she said. "I thought, 'I've waited 75 years for this.'"
Eastwood's Fast-Paced Style
Even so, Eastwood's famous way of working didn't exactly mesh well with the theater veteran. She admitted that his lightning-fast approach of shooting just two takes maximum left her feeling frustrated. Still, she got to play an important supporting role in one of his films, even if it wasn't his greatest work.
After waiting so long for this chance, you'd think she would have watched it at least once. Instead, Dench completely avoided J Edgar, explaining that she felt torn about finally getting to work with Eastwood. Her theater background means she can always spot problems in her own performances. "I find it too hard to cope with that idea that you can't change it," she explained. "I love the way in the theatre that you can change it every night."
Still Hasn't Seen It
When someone asked if this feeling applied to her long-awaited collaboration with the four-time Oscar winner and western movie icon, Dench confirmed it did. "What's it like?" she wondered out loud. "I suppose I should see it." The truth is, it's a decent film - not terrible, but nowhere near the best work from either Dench or Eastwood. At least her 75-year dream came true, so whether she watched it or not doesn't really matter.