Dame Judi Dench: I'm a Quaker and a 'peacenik' - video

As she prepares to open opposite actor Ben Wishaw in a new play about the girl who inspired Alice in Wonderland, Dame Judi Dench tells Jon Snow about her role, her beliefs, and about ageing.

[@normawingo5116]

I simply cannot imagine a world that never had Dame Judy in it. What a role model and wonderful person she is.

[@barbarabaldwin7120]

She'sThe BEST!

[@psrdirector]

/didnt know she was a Quaker, always nice hearing about fellow Quakers. We are a small group.

[@lakemichigan6598]

Quakerism is the loveliest of all the Christian religions. How wonderful the world would be if everyone carried with them its mindset.

[@GraemeMarkNI]

Small and enormously important ❤️ I’m not a Quaker yet, so I can say that in all humility.

[@lakemichigan6598]

@@GraemeMarkNI If you embrace their truth telling, their nonviolence, and their concepts of doing what's good and what's right you'll be almost there.

[@tonymay6235]

psrdirector so much respect for your faith and the way you live your lives.

[@marjangalot8850]

Lovely to see this interview of fellow Quaker Judy. Sending Light&Love to all Friends around the world. ♥️

[@dean9235]

The more I hear about this lady and indeed listen to her speak the more I like her. She was superb in Belfast, a must watch film.

[@1minigrem]

Wonderful to hear her talk about her Quaker faith, what she said felt absolutely true for me too, I have not been to meeting for a long time due to being housebound but my faith informs every thing I do, go with God Judy.

[@soulonsoul8035]

🙌🏿💚

[@RL-ck8zk]

Great to learn about a wonderful woman, actor and a fellow Quaker!

[@carlynedeoraj9670]

I love Judi Dench...she's an amazing actress and person.

[@edward311]

I saw the play Peter And Alice in which both Dame Judi Dench and Ben Wishaw starred. It was a fascinating piece of theatre and a delightful production. Both were wonderful.

[@FrancoiseBonnefoy1]

Oh I would have loved to see it.

[@awenyyds]

Dame Judi Dench you are my hero I love every thing you appear, you dear lady are marvelous. I too,am a Quaker and a peace nic..

[@cacciato69]

me too

[@deanmyrick7848]

I love Dame Judi Dench and Dame Helen Mirren! They are incredibly strong women and very worthy of their titles!!

[@DE-xt7jv]

And Maggie smith

[@marpessalynn4228]

she has a great personality and wonderful acting skills

[@rogneid]

I love her even more now!

[@convincedquaker]

Judi Dench is a treasure and an inspiration in every way. 😍

[@nbroadwater8857]

She is simply an awesome person.

[@mercian7]

My RE teacher was a Quaker. Miss Deacon a truly lovely lady.

[@mikagoldin9747]

Funny name for a Quaker. We don't have clergy. Just saying . . .glad you had such a nice experience with a Quaker. We are very Friendly :)

[@mercian7]

Well that was her Surname. My wife is a Methodist and her Family are lovely too. I feel Quakers are too and I have a great respect for them.

[@marjangalot8850]

Lovely to see this interview of fellow Quaker Judy. Sending Light&Love to all Friends around the world. ♥️

[@dennybenz5846]

She is fabulous actress and so beautiful. Watch all her movies.

[@deborahhafer5346]

Lovely lovely lady. Love everything she does. So enjoyed "My Passion for Trees" Still trying to get a DVD of that & just can't find it here in the USA.😥

[@tomatoketchup9148]

Great actress and a beautiful religious belief as a Quaker .

[@alfredthomas2030]

Wonderful interview. Wonderful woman

[@donnariggs1567]

I would so love to hang out with her she looks such fun always always has a laugh on...cheers all the best

[@adelaferreira4575]

Such beautiful woman and incredible actress !

[@DE-xt7jv]

She lived just around the corner from me in York

[@cacciato69]

surprised but then it fits, always interesting to find another Friend like Joan Baez

[@LisaPattiArtist]

She is amazing...

[@nvanderplas1040]

Lisa Patti n

[@johnellis414]

Love her to bits. ❤

[@honeybunch5765]

Awesome actress.

[@athanasiusphilopatorismaxi389]

she's lovely lady

[@dennybenz5846]

Where is this play, i wish it was here in the states

[@Cymbelin]

Lovely.

[@igrdcjjn]

Graça e paz a todos! É necessário termos O SENHOR JESUS CRISTO COMO ÚNICO E SUFICIENTE SALVADOR, vivermos os Mandamentos Bíblicos e congregarmos com irmãos na Fé em CRISTO JESUS O FILHO ÚNIGÊNITO DE DEUS O PAI. Um abraço para todos! Pr. Cássio Roberto-Brasil.

[@user-it8xx4dl9z]

God bless u Judi Dench

[@tarahskinner923]

Such a beautiful lady!

[@mrkongsimr]

Hi what is a Quaker ? Anyone !!! I love her to bits , thanks

[@junesilvermanb2979]

Quakers, also called Friends, belong to a historically Christian (Protestant) denomination known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of the various Quaker movements are all generally united by their belief in the ability of each human being to experientially access the light within, or "that of God in every one".

[@Paslayas]

I thought Quakers refused the use of titles, so why is she using the title of Dame? They believe in equality, right?

[@reveluvreveluv7257]

Paslayas equality is a pretty big part yes

[@stellaorvad2519]

I Guess on here none of us are safe from Accusations..and Judgement.....This is why being a Quaker is so wonderful...Quaker's do not believe in explaining themselves to anyone but God...and their Personal Relationship with him.

[@asdfbeth]

It's more of a celebration of her accomplishments rather than her having any power over anyone else :)

[@kevin-douglasolive3616]

Helenaville well this Quaker chooses not to stand in judgment

[@mlh4711]

Judi Dench strikes me as someone I would love to live next door to.

[@sheilahmercer1637]

❤❤❤

[@stormyrivers]

❤ Judy Dench

[@treasure2behold282]

There are no coincidences, everything is directed by God.

[@deadsparrow28]

How do Quakers balance accepting titles with a belief in social equality? Or, in England, is that no longer relevant?

[@ishmaelforester9825]

+deadsparrow28 I suppose they understand that justice is, as Plato defined it, receiving your due. I don't know much about Quakers but I expect they are not ignorant enough to reduce or want to reduce humanity to a dead level. If so, fuck them.

[@mikagoldin9747]

The title is an honor, like an Oscar. She doesn't get a land grant, or anything monetary. It's a recognition of her achievements. AFSC was a recipient of the Nobel Prize. So were several Quakers. It's like that - time to worry about real things. . .

[@deadsparrow28]

Thanks for that thoughtful reply. The other two responders appear not to understand what the English honours system is about and the way it perpetuates the class system and sustains the monarchy. Dench knelt before Elizabeth when she received this title. Not a very egalitarian thing to do.

[@davidmgolding2494]

Yes - as a Quaker (a fairly new one) I have grappled with this question myself. I wouldn't accept an "honour" (a recent Australian PM briefly reintroduced knights and dames). I have discussed this with some of my fellow Quakers here in Sydney and others are also curious as to how Judi reconciles the acceptance of an "honour" from an undemocratic, so-called "monarch" with our Quaker testimony of equality. However the thing about Quakerism is we believe in the individual's right to think for themselves and seek the truth as they see it; so I guess she has come to some personal accommodation of her beliefs with her title. If I ever ran into her at Meeting I would love to ask her...!

[@alfredthomas2030]

Excellent point

[@williamsummers6438]

Accepting “Family” as the 10th.Testimony The Quaker testimonies of Equality and Justice have failed in the family. Fathers and children are at a disadvantage with many having been lost to each other. 45% of UK school age children do not now live under the same roof as their father. Quakers and their testimonies constitute a feminist/woke institution that does not accept this as being a problem, never addressing it. It is more likely to do so if “Family” is accepted as a Testimony on the understanding that children’s natural maturation process has 3 essential stages of need. A. The unconditional love of the mother from birth until about 7 years of age. The mother must have “thefinalsay” B. The conditional love of the father, who takes his children out into the world, gives security and teaching social boundaries from 7 until about 13 years of age. The father must have “thefinalsay”. C.The friendship and respect of their peers from 13 until 18 years of age. The child must have “thefinalsay”. If these 3 stages are not sequence in order, maturation is unlikely to be achieved and mental resilience reduced. This has now become generational. Such a regime of equal and just parenting rights (over time) would bind parents into a co-operative relationship, because (over time) each will hold the power of “thefinalsay” sequentially when it is needed and best favoured to use it. Such family protocols need to be the default position, (allowing love, courtesy and humour to prevail) but could in exceptional cases be varied by the courts. Buckminster Fuller said:- “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete”. To alleviate suffering is worthy. To prevent it is divine, but thankless.

[@tudormiller887]

I always thought she was Jewish. I know she's a fellow Sagittarian. ❤

[@elizabethfraser2996]

Please did anyone catch the IQ supplement that she said she takes ?

[@PepperPro1]

I want to know as well. Hard to believe it, but I couldn't understand the words she used to describe what she takes every morning. I'm reading all these comments, hoping to find the answer.

[@DE-xt7jv]

Only person missing in the bookshop was Christopher robin

[@mrkongsimr]

Very nice . Thank you. But what is a quaker ? Is it Pentecostal ?

[@leftiesrox]

No. There are different types of Quakers, I'm sure she's probably a liberal one considering her profession. But basically, they believe in peace, equality, and God. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was a Quaker. There have been many. The Cadbury's chocolate dude was likewise.

[@elizabethneely8575]

I am a Quaker a descendant of Quakers, And We see and experience everything spiritually (at least I do)

[@hollytaggart6482]

I am a Quaker. It's pretty darn far from Pentecostal.

[@elizabethneely8575]

Quakers are a group of spiritual folks, and I think it is just something you are born with...

[@WilliamOwens1]

Elizabeth Neely inner light...we all have it....me you everybody...

[@luzyfalluzy]

Your pro Palestine bias is unbecoming of a journalist, Jon but this is a great piece

[@daviesjonathan139]

That nice of you Laurie, How are you doing today?

[@reggiemartin2846]

Always have been a fan of hers feeling she's gone to soon

[@judylloyd7901]

What do you mean, "gone too soon"?? It sounds as if you are saying that she is dead! (Which she isn't.)

[@convincedquaker]

Gone? Bite your tongue. 😜 Not yet, thank goodness.

[@orthohawk]

A Quaker accepting an honor that involves a title?? Talk about irony.

[@halsawyer9930]

Sir Ben Kingsley is also a Quaker. In the old days, of course, being an actor would have been even more impossible for a Quaker than accepting a title.

[@helenaville5939]

+Hal Sawyer. I fail to see how Ben Kingsley's claim to be a Quaker makes any difference. And at no point in its history has Quakerism had any policy one way or the other on acting as a career. Your knowledge of Quakerism appears to be based on a Quaker Oats box.

[@convincedquaker]

The title was bestowed upon her. I've never, ever heard her use it in reference to herself.

[@HJKelley47]

Interesting, for I did not know that Dame Judi is a non-practicing Quaker.

[@plainegrace5712]

+Kelley She didn't say she was non-practicing; just the opposite. She only said that she hasn't been to Meeting. Meeting is only one small part of being a Friend. How you live your life is the bigger part, and, as she said, it informs everything she does.

[@helenaville5939]

I find her claim to be a Quaker quite immature. She refers to it as if it were a hierarchical religion, the elders of which might scold or excuse her for her non-attendance. She doesn't appear to understand it. Her embrace of a title is also in polar opposition to Quaker values. Even her gushing about the queen in this video is bizarre for a Quaker. Her husband was a high-ranking Catholic who was knighted by the Pope. I don't take her Quaker claims seriously as they seem rather egotistical and more a part of her deliberate public persona than any spiritual journey.

[@jeffreyoliver4370]

In the first place, there are many different Quaker sects, so there are a number of different ways to be a Quaker. Some are quite like other Protestants sects, some are quite similar (but not the same) as the original Quakers. No Quaker sect preserves all the features of traditions of the earliest Friends. It's really bad form to comment on other people's religion unless they've clearly subverted the faith they claim, which isn't apparently the case here.

[@convincedquaker]

@@helenaville5939 It seems that you need a deeper understanding of Quaker faith and practice. Not one single thing that she's said or done stands in opposition to Quaker values.

[@convincedquaker]

@@plainegrace5712 Exactly

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

Except when she's yelling at Bond.

[@deborahellison1525]

What is IQ....asking for a friend

[@mrcdad]

She's a wonderful actress, but how can you be a Quaker and a Dame

[@elliegreen7647]

mrcdad the title is an award recognising her achievements rather than professing she's above anyone else in society

[@jamesmiller6977]

If this woman was a Quaker she would not have taken millions to portray an agent of our violent militarist state. Wake up people, you are being played.

[@larryyee254]

K

[@kingjeremysircornwell7847]

Crime to own have a dog/dog's inside city limits.

[@hywelwatkins9798]

Dame Judi ! I fell in love with you when you were on tour with Brooke’s dream at The New Theatre Cardiff. Well not love, I was up in the flys as an assistant fly man, lust is what it was, sorry. Not 😍

[@allend2749]

keep your beliefs to yourself sayeth the lord. otherwise you are seeking attention, which is bad sayeth the lord.

[@convincedquaker]

Judge not lest ye be judged "sayeth the lord."

[@orthohawk]

Thee misinterprets the passage. Jesus said not to pray in public SO THAT you can be noticed etc. IOW, It's not a general prohibition, but a prohibition of public praying as a way of saying, "Hey! Look at me! I'm such a good Christian!"

[@andrewt8116]

she forgot to comb her hair

[@ritawayword]

You forgot to go outside and catch up with hairdos, like this, that take a lot of combing and have been around for at least three decades. How trivial a comment! When there are so many things worth commenting on.

[@christinepizzi6197]

She keeps current styles of pixie cuts she looks so great wearing, plus she has baby fine hair. Andrew, you must be the finest hairstylist....

[@convincedquaker]

I love her hair!