Dame Judi Dench, a renowned figure in both film and stage, shares her experiences with a pet parrot, her daily activities, and her thoughts on getting older. With a birthday approaching and facing various challenges, she remains resilient and grateful.

Discovering the Lively World of Dame Judi Dench

Parrot Tales with Dame Judi Dench

Dame Judi Dench's pet parrot, Sweetie, has a rather colorful vocabulary. "She says: ‘You’re a slut’, ‘you’re a slag,’ ” Dench revealed. But it's not all bad; she added, "She listens to the radio. My God, she’s funny though. She’s very, very funny. Everybody should have a parrot, or a myna bird. Their voices are absolutely incredible." This unique aspect of her life brings a touch of humor and charm.

Dench, who lives in Surrey, England, has been keeping herself busy. "I’m doing a mass of things. I’ve been doing something every single day this week," she said. She goes and paints on a Tuesday evening and has been given some clay to teach herself a bit of that. She also enjoys playing Bananagrams, stating, "I’m an absolute fiend at it." And there's a fun card game called Bitch that they play.

Despite her many activities, Dench has also signed on for a new project starting early next year. However, she remains a bit superstitious about revealing the details.

Aging with Grace and Gratitude

When it comes to getting older, Dench tries to remain positive. She reflects, "I think you’re lucky to be 90. My two great, great friends, Barbara Leigh-Hunt and Maggie Smith, have just dropped off the bough in the last four weeks or so, and that’s not good. I’m able to at least get from A to B and walk about and, golly, I’ve got a great deal to be grateful for."

She also admits that the state of the world can weigh on her. "There’s no point having a non-positive attitude," she said. "Especially these days when there’s so much to be very, very, very concerned about." She gets depressed when she goes into London and gives to charities like Crisis at Christmas to help those in need.

Dench, who has age-related macular degeneration, notes, "It’s disconcerting when you’ve had quite good hearing all your life. If your eyes give up and your ears give up, I dread to think what’s going to happen next." But she remains determined with the mantra, "Never mind, onward and upward."