Judi Dench: Once you have one tattoo you want a lot more
As long as Her Mightiness Betty White and Dame Judi Dench are on this planet, there’s still hope. Should they actually appear in something together, I think we could reverse all the horribleness of the last two years and start over. Okay, maybe not, but it would be a marvelous two hours, wouldn’t it? If you do need a Dame Judi fix, she is currently starring in Victoria & Abdul in which she plays Queen Victoria once again. Earlier this month, she let us know the best place to buy naughty knickers. Now she discussing a burgeoning tattoo addiction. For her 81st birthday, Dame Judi’s daughter, Finty, surprised her with a tattoo. She told Good Housekeeping in 2015 that Finty has been trying to get her to get one for some time. And now that Dame Judi has one, she’s itching to add to her collection.
At the Toronto International Film Festival Judi Dench opened up about playing Queen Victoria in the upcoming movie Victoria & Abdul and on getting her first and only tattoo at 81 — or at least the only tattoo she’ll confirm that she has.
Victoria & Abdul is a movie about Queen Victoria’s real-life friendship with her younger Indian servant. It’s also the second time Dench has played the monarch — the first was in 1997’s Mrs. Brown.
Dench also discussed the tattoo she got on her 81st birthday in 2016 and how she’s had to compensate for that while filming.
“Only since I’ve had it done have I done things where I’ve had long sleeves. But I know Dan Day Lewis has got tattoos all up both arms. Well, they’ve had to deal with that. So I guess this small one can be dealt with,” she said.
“I know people that say it’s a very infectious thing to do,” she added. “Once you have one tattoo you want a lot more. Well, it’s always said I have ‘Harvey Weinstein’ tattooed on my bum, but that’s just a secret between Harvey and me.”
According to Surrey Life magazine her new tattoo was a gift from her daughter Tara “Finty” Williams, is situated over her right wrist and bears the phrase “carpe diem” in bold font. “That’s my motto: Seize the day,” she told the magazine. “Finty gave it to me for my 81st birthday — she’s wonderful with surprises.”
Dame Judi has such a joie de vivre about her. She can find the positive in everything. Like, surprising someone with a tattoo? Please no one ever do that to me. Obviously this is her daughter and she’s been talking about it so this was just the push to get her to do it. But couldn’t you just see her beaming as the needle sinks in and exclaiming, “oh how wonderful – what penmanship!” And how bada$$ to get her first at 81. I wouldn’t be surprised if she did get more. But you can bet you lunch money she apologizes profusely to every makeup artist that has to cover her ink up. Harvey Weinstein told that tattoo story on Graham Norton. I’m not sure I believe him but she’s fine with him spreading it so I’ll let it go. Coincidentally, Dame Judi is one of my favorite GN guests, she’s always the most engaging person on the couch. Like this story when she forgot she’d gone clubbing with Graham.
If you have not seen Dame Judi learning to rap with Lethal Bizzle in her Stay Dench cap, I suggest you stop whatever you are doing right now and watch it. I don’t mean get around to it soon, I mean pull your car over, put your fork down, hang up the phone and watch this – you’ll be thanking me for the rest of the day. “Pow”
Photo credit: WENN Photos
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