Dame Judi Dench has revealed that her co-star Daniel Craig suggested killing off her character, M, in the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall, per variety.com.
Writing in her new memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?, published on November 3 by St. Martin’s Press, the 91-year-old Oscar winner reflected on her two-decade tenure as head of MI6 across eight 007 films.
The veteran actress made her debut as M alongside Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s GoldenEye, a role inspired by the real-life appointment of Stella Rimington as head of MI5 in 1992. She described enjoying the authority of the character, whose backstory evolved over the years to reveal details such as studying law at Oxford, having two daughters, and her full name, Olivia Mansfield, which was disclosed only in her final major appearance.
The decision to end her run came during a meeting with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson alongside director Sam Mendes at London’s Wolseley restaurant. Dench noted with humour that after years of asking producers to let her character escape the desk-bound role, her exit was executed on screen. Despite media reports suggesting she wept upon learning of her departure, Dench dismissed the claim, noting she was proud of her 20-year run spanning eight films, one more than Roger Moore’s total as 007.
Reflecting on the evolution of the franchise, Dench praised both Brosnan and Craig for bringing distinct qualities to the role. She observed how the tone of the films shifted from the suave, effortless style of the 1990s to a darker, more realistic portrayal under Craig’s tenure.
Although M was killed off in Skyfall, Dench filmed a brief cameo for the 2015 follow-up, Spectre, which required just one hour of shooting to appear on a television screen.
Dench’s casting in 1995 marked a major modern overhaul for the James Bond franchise, introducing a female chief to head the fictional British Secret Intelligence Service for the first time. Her 17-year screen presence across eight films established M as a central figure in the modern 007 narrative, bridging the transition between the Brosnan and Craig eras.
- Featured image:©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection