As the old saying goes, ‘There’s nothing like a dame’, and Dame Judi Dench proved that sentiment to be true on Friday as she made a glamorous appearance at a fundraising ball.
The 84-year-old James Bond star looked sensational at the star-studded Wildlife Ball in London on Friday. The event was organised by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, of which Judi is a legacy ambassador.
Judi donned a classic black dress for the occasion which she paired with a simple, yet elegant, black chiffon wrap and, in a subtle nod to the event’s ‘Out of Africa’ dress code, she wore a leopard print faux-fur collar around her neck.
With her finger nails painted in a vibrant shade of red, the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel star added another pop of colour to her outfit with some colourful bangles.
Judi was joined at the event by her partner David Mills, a conservationist whom she first met back in 2010 when he asked the actress to officially open a new badger enclosure at his Surrey zoo.
The couple sweetly linked arms on the red carpet as they posed for photos with David looking dapper in a classic black tuxedo. However, adding a touch of fun to his outfit, the British conservationist wore a leopard print belt, coordinating with his partner perfectly.
The event, held at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel on Friday, aims to raise money to support the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation which works to protect endangered species around the world and conserve wildlife and their habitats.
According to the foundation’s website, it was founded in 1984 by British wildlife artist and conservationist David Shepherd, who passed away in 2017.
Judi’s appearance at the event comes months after fans were given a first glimpse at her upcoming role in the live-action movie remake of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical Cats!
The trailer was released in July, treating fans to an exclusive first look at the live-action adaption of one of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history. The upcoming fantasy film, which is based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, stars Dench alongside some other huge names, including Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Sir Ian McKellen and James Corden.
And for Judi, her casting as Old Deuteronomy is especially poignant as the acting legend was originally cast in the stage production almost four decades ago, before having to pull out due to injury.
“I was cast in 1981 [for the stage production],” she said in a teaser video, released earlier this year. “Just before we opened, I snapped my Achilles tendon. I thought that was my history with Cats, but it turns out not to be.”