Judi Dench Reveals the Unexpected & Very Large Gift Vin Diesel Gave Her to Woo Her for a Role

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Judi Dench has starred in many memorable roles, but to get her to sign on to the 2004 film, “The Chronicles of Riddick,” in which she played the role of Aereon, Vin Diesel went to great lengths, quite literally, to get her to sign up for the project. 

Judi Dench Reveals the Unexpected Gifts She Has Received 

Dench spoke with Brendan O’Hea, co-author of her new memoir, “Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?,” and revealed the incredible gift that Vin Diesel gave her. “He came to see me at the Haymarket Theatre to ask if I’d be in ‘The Chronicles of Riddick.’ Before he arrived, he sent me such a massive bunch of flowers. They couldn’t get them up the stairs to my dressing room, so they had to leave them at the stage door,” Dench said, People reports. “They were easily the length of a kayak. And as wide.”

Vin Diesel’s actions worked because Dench said yes to the part. “You can’t say no to a man like that, can you?” she joked. “I’m cheap as chips, me. Far too easily wooed.”

Judi Dench Was Wooed

Dench also revealed another time she was wooed into taking a role, this time by Kenneth Branagh, who directed the 2017 film “Murder on the Orient Express.” The 91-year-old star revealed that Branagh gave her “the most wonderful embroidered handkerchief when he asked me to be in [Murder on the] Orient Express — with the character’s initials on it.” 

She continued, “He must’ve known that’d make me say yes; he’s so sneaky. But then I’d do anything for Ken. If he said, ‘Will you play a mat on the floor in Three Sisters?’ I’d say, ‘When do I start?’” she added. “Then, of course, little by little, I found out who else was involved in Orient Express: Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Derek Jacobi…How could I resist?”

Dench played Princess Natalia Dragomirof in the film, although she did not enjoy the character. “Don’t ask me anything about her. She was some old broad who sat around with a lot of jewelry and a couple of Shih Tzus — one black, one white,” she said. 

Judi Dench Reflects on Her Incredible Career 

Dench has an impressive portfolio, and she has been recognized for her talents with a slew of awards, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the 1998 film “Shakespeare in Love.” She has also won BAFTAs, a Tony Award, Golden Globes and SAG Awards. However, the veteran Hollywood star revealed that her career’s future is uncertain because of vision loss caused by macular degeneration.

In her memoir, she wrote: “You have to contend with people asking, ‘When are you going to retire?’ or, ‘Isn’t it about time you put your feet up?’ No, it bloody well isn’t. ‘Retire’, ‘vintage’, ‘old’ – let’s banish those words,” Dench shared. However, she told BBC Radio 4, “I can’t be on stage. I can’t do a play anymore. I can’t do a film anymore,” USA Today reports.