Judi Dench, 91, Says She Can't Act Anymore Due to Vision Loss, and She's Still Not Retiring

Judi Dench is 91, and she just gave us the kind of honesty that rarely comes out of Hollywood. In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today program, the Oscar winner said age-related macular degeneration has made acting impossible.“I can’t be on stage. I can’t do a play any more. I can’t do a film any more. I can’t read any more.”She was diagnosed in 2012, and she says she also struggles to recognize faces clearly.

The part that has everyone talking? Dench is not retiring. She pushed back on retirement rumors earlier this month, and when she was asked whether she objects to the“national treasure”label, she replied,“No, it bloody well isn’t.”She says she wants to keep working and compared herself to people who skydive at 100. Her late mother had the same condition, which makes the diagnosis personal in more ways than one.

AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults, and hearing a legend describe it firsthand is a reminder of how much independence it can take away. Dench isn’t asking for pity, though. She’s asking to be taken seriously as a person who still has things to do. Have you dealt with vision loss in your family? Tell us in the comments.