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Judi Dench said in an interview that she forgave Harvey Weinstein after his conviction and stressed that Kevin Spacey was “acquitted.” “For me, forgiveness is personal,” said Judi Dench.
Interview statements about Weinstein and Spacey
The actress told Radio Times that she had seen a film clip in which Harvey Weinstein was walking with two sticks. That made her think. She emphasized that although she had great sympathy for the victims, she had “very fortunately” never had such experiences with him. “I imagine he served his time,” Dench said, citing the importance of second chances in her Quaker faith.
She spoke even more clearly about Kevin Spacey. “Kevin has been acquitted and I hear from him, we will write to each other.” The two have been friends since they started working together in 2001. Spacey was acquitted of sexual assault charges in a British criminal trial in 2023 but faces civil lawsuits next year.
Review of previous statements
Weinstein, who played a large part in Dench’s late Hollywood successes – she won an Oscar for “Shakespeare in Love,” which he produced – was convicted of rape and sexual assault after decades of allegations and remains in prison.
Dench had already commented on the allegations in 2017, describing them as “shocking” and emphasizing her solidarity with those affected. In 2019, she defended Spacey’s artistic legacy and argued his work should not be erased.
Health concerns
The actress also spoke about her increasingly impaired vision due to age-related macular degeneration. Both eyes are now severely affected, meaning she cannot read, drive, embroider or watch television. “It’s devastating,” she said.
She also reported that she was worried about her memory. While she can easily recall Shakespeare texts from her long theater career, she finds it difficult to remember her daily schedule.
Johnny Depp as a crush
In the interview, Dench also revealed that Johnny Depp is her celebrity crush. She recalled filming “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011) when Depp bit an earring off her ear with his teeth: “He jumped in, but he didn’t give me a kiss – he went for my ear and took the earring off with his teeth.”