Dame Judi Dench thinks Harvey Weinstein has 'done his time'
Dame Judi Dench imagines that disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein has "done his time" after being jailed for sexual offences.
Dame Judi Dench claims that Harvey Weinstein has "done his time".
The 90-year-old actress made the remarks in defence of the disgraced movie mogul - who is serving 16 years in jail after being found guilty of several counts of sexual assault in 2022 - as she discussed the theme of forgiveness that is vital to her Quaker faith.
Asked whether she would forgive Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, who has struggled to find acting work since being cleared by courts in both Britain and the US of sexual assault allegations, Judi told the Radio Times magazine: "Kevin has been exonerated and I hear from Kevin, we text. I saw a bit of film of Harvey walking with two sticks and you think, 'Well...'
"I knew Harvey and I knew him well and worked with him, and I had none of that experience - very fortunately for me. I imagine he's done his time... I don't know, to me it's personal - forgiveness."
Judi, who had credited Weinstein for helping to revive her film career, had condemned the 73-year-old former movie producer when the allegations against him first emerged back in 2017.
The former James Bond actress said: "Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offences which are, of course, horrifying, and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out."
Meanwhile, Judi's sight is deteriorating as she suffers from macular degeneration - a condition that causes permanent and rapid central vision loss and is the number one cause of sight problems in people over 50 - and revealed that things have gotten so bad she finds it difficult to recognise friends and loved ones.
In an interview with ITV alongside her friend Sir Ian McKellen, Judi was asked why she's now rarely seen on screen and she replied: "I can’t see anymore. I’ve got, you know, that thing."
She then added to Ian: "I can see your outline and I know you so well in your Macbeth scarf. But I can’t recognise anybody now … I can’t see the television, I can’t see to read."
The Oscar-winning actress admitted earlier this year that she can no longer be left alone in case she falls over.
Dench - who turns 91 on Tuesday (09.12.25) - told Trinny Woodall's Fearless podcast: "Somebody will always be with me. I have to now because I can’t see and I will walk into something or fall over.
"I’m always nervous before going to something. I have no idea why… I’m not good at being on my own at all, nor would I be now. And fortunately, I don’t have to now because I pretend to have no eyesight."
