Judi Dench Recalls Robin Williams' Quiet Aid During Husband's Final Days
The actress describes a 1996 moment when the late comedian offered to help her ill husband walk up a steep hill without imposing his presence.
By Olga Kaur ·
Judi Dench has shared new details about her friendship with the late Robin Williams, recounting how he supported her during her husband's terminal illness. The anecdotes appear in her new memoir, "Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?", which hits shelves this week.
Dench and her late husband, Michael Williams, were staying at actor Billy Connolly’s home in Scotland in 1996. Michael was battling lung cancer and was visibly weakening during a large outdoor party featuring a ceilidh and bonfire. The couple decided to retire early and began the walk back up a steep hill.
Williams approached the pair and offered assistance. Michael Williams stated he could manage on his own. Dench writes that Williams responded, "Well, I think I'll ride shotgun anyway." She describes the gesture as a display of sensitivity that did not impose itself on the couple.
"Robin's sensitivity and understanding, just offering to be there, gently supportive, without imposing himself," Dench wrote. She noted that she has often reflected on that specific moment since the event took place nearly three decades ago.
The two performers had a professional history prior to that evening. Dench starred opposite Williams in the 1996 film "Hamlet." In 1999, Williams presented Dench with her Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in "Shakespeare in Love." Williams died in 2014 at age 63, while Michael Williams died on Jan. 11, 2001, at age 65. The couple had married in 1971.
The memoir also contains Dench's first public assessment of the 2019 film "Cats." The adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical received hostile reviews and underperformed commercially despite a cast that included James Corden, Idris Elba, and Taylor Swift. Dench wrote, "I can't bear it.. What a waste of all that goodwill and talent."
She acknowledged the critics were hostile but noted she never viewed the final cut. "All I'll say is nobody sets out to give a poor performance or make a bad film," she added, stating that actors do their best and hope audiences will join the party.
Source: Variety
