We may receive an affiliate commission from anything you buy from this article.Celebrated actress Dame Judi Dench has also written several books, including "And Furthermore," "Behind the Scenes," "Scenes From My Life," and "Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent," co-authored with friend and fellow actor Brendan O'Hea.
In her latest book, "Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?" (published by St.Martin's Press), Dench and O'Hea return with a collection of conversations revisiting an extraordinary career and a remarkable life, from Shakespeare to Bond.Read the excerpt below – and don't miss Seth Doane's interview with Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hea on "CBS Sunday Morning" November 8! $28 at Amazon Prefer to listen? Audible has a 30-day free trial available right now.
Try Audible for free Choosing a Part Have you always been in a position to choose which part you're going to play?Of course not.And it's something I'll never take for granted.
Mikey used to say, 'Always behave as if it's the last job you'll ever do.' I still carry the fear of not working.Or of never being asked again.
You can't just expect to be employed in this business when there are so many terrific actors ready to step in.I once knew an actor whose criteria for accepting a part depended on three questions: 'What's the billing? What's the money? What's the role?' In that order.
I've also known actors who've turned down jobs because their character didn't say the last line of the play.That's ridiculous.You'd never play Hamlet or Lady Macbeth.
Was it Michael Caine who said he judged a script by its location, and if he fancied going to the place where it was being filmed, he'd accept the job? I know what he means.That's one of the reasons why I was so keen to do Mrs.
Brown: a month in Scotland – bliss.What are your own criteria for choosing a part?I'm not very good at it, so I tend to leave it to others.When ...