JUDI DENCH - DENCH BLASTS FAME-HUNGRY ACTORS

DENCH BLASTS FAME-HUNGRY ACTORS

Veteran actress DAME JUDI DENCH has scolded young actors for ignoring the theatre and seeking instant fame as movie stars.
The Shakespeare in Love star insists the new generation of performers needs to hone their skills by working in live productions rather than chasing big-screen stardom.
Speaking at the U.K.'s Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday (10Oct09), Dench told the audience, "The majority of young actors want to make a big impression in television or film straight away. I wish that young people now - and it's not very fashionable - learnt a bit about our fantastic heritage of theatre and the people who've gone before, learnt a bit about the history of the theatre, because it's phenomenal. It is nowhere better in the world than here.
"We have such a huge history of the most extraordinary performances and productions and directors and actors and designers, everything that I wish wasn't forgotten. It is not forgotten by a lot of people but it is forgotten by most young people coming up. There's always something to learn. It's so exciting to read about the history of other people in the part."
The 74 year old insists she improved by observing her co-stars from backstage, adding, "I never used to go to my dressing room. We used to always stand in the wings and watch other people."