Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It? – by Judi Dench

In Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It? Judi Dench takes us on a heartfelt and hilarious tour of her extraordinary life and career. From growing up in York and being miffed at not getting the part of Mary in the school Nativity pageant, playing to sold-out houses on Broadway in Amy’s View, walking the red carpets of Hollywood, garnering eight Oscar nominations, and winning a historic one for her unforgettable performance as Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love, Judi Dench has done it all. And, to leave nothing undone, she turned James Bond’s M into the most astute and unflinching Head of MI6 anyone could ever have imagined.

Yet despite the accolades, she has been accompanied by doubt. From the movie producer who said she had “everything wrong” with her face, to the theatre director who advised her against doing sitcom. Is it any wonder she leaves a bag by the rehearsal room door in case she has to make a run for it?

But stepping out of her comfort zone has been Judi’s guiding principle. And here, she reveals all in this heart-to-heart conversation. She tells stories of pranks (both on stage and off), dissects her greatest screen roles, shares tales of her joyful marriage to actor Michael Williams, as well as her passion for nature and animals.

Written with her friend and writing partner, Brendan O’Hea, this is Judi Dench’s story – funny, honest, intimate, enlightening, surprising, moving, and deeply inspiring. Over ninety years in the making, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It? is the story of the world’s most beloved actor.

Released: 2026