Renowned British actress Judi Dench has issued a strict warning against anyone who asks her whether she would "put her feet up" after such a long career and said that it drives her "absolutely spare".
The 79-year-old actress has been one of Britain's most acclaimed actresses, with a career spanning over 50 years. Speaking at a press conference for her new film "Esio Trot", Dench said that she doesn't want to be told by anyone that she is "too old" to do anything. Notwithstanding her failing eyesight, that was a much-talked about topic in the recent past, she said that age was just a number "imposed" upon her and she "loathes" discussing it, the Telegraph reports.
A few years ago, the actress was diagnosed with macular degeneration, which can also lead to blindness, The Independent reports.
In her new movie, she stars opposite 77-year-old Dustin Hoffman. "Esio Trot" is a 90-minute BBC1 Christmas adaptation of Roald Dahl's story, known by the same name. It is a story of a faltering love affair between two pensioners who have been lonely for some time.
At the screening of "Esio trot" in central London, the Oscar winner said: "It drives me absolutely spare when people say 'Are you going to retire?' or 'Don't you think it's time you put your feet up?' or tell me my age. I loathe it. I don't want to be told that I'm too old to do something; I want to try it first and then, if I don't succeed, I can be told I can't do it. Otherwise, because you get to a certain age, it's 'Oh well, you mustn't do that because you might have a fall or you can't learn the lines or you can't see'. Let me have a go. Let us all have a go."
She urged people to not ignore the abilities of aged people. The "Philomena" star said that she was worried about her age only once in her life and that was when she was 40. She reiterated the old saying, "It's that old thing: you are only as old as you feel. It's not to do with age; it's something to do with inside. It's the engine," the Hollywood Reporter states.
