Judi Dench Remembers Robin Williams’ Gentle Support During Husband’s Cancer Fight

Judi Dench shares a memory of Robin Williams in her upcoming memoir Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?, describing how the comedian offered support while her husband, Michael Williams, fought lung cancer.

Dench writes that nearly 30 years earlier she and Michael were staying at actor Billy Connolly’s home in Scotland when a party with a ceilidh and bonfire took place in the woods. She notes that Michael was “very ill at the time” and began to flag.

During a walk up a steep hill, Dench says Robin Williams appeared beside them and offered to help. Michael declined, saying he could manage, and Williams replied, “Well, I think I’ll ride shotgun anyway,” a comment Dench calls “a lovely thing to say.” She adds that she has often thought about that moment, recalling Williams’ “sensitivity and understanding, just offering to be there, gently supportive, without imposing himself.”

The memoir also touches on Dench’s earlier work with Williams, noting they had acted together in the 1996 film “Hamlet,” and that Williams presented her with the Oscar for best supporting actress for “Shakespeare in Love” in 1999.

Dench’s husband died on January 11, 2001, at age 65; the couple had married in 1971. Robin Williams died in 2014 at age 63.

In addition to the Williams anecdote, Dench reflects on her experience acting in the 2019 film Cats. She describes the film as a “critical and commercial failure” despite its high‑profile cast, which included James Corden, Idris Elba, and Taylor Swift. Dench writes, “Oh God, I can’t bear it – and [Lloyd Webber] had waited so long for it to be made… What a waste of all that goodwill and talent.” She adds that she never saw the final cut, but emphasizes that “nobody sets out to give a poor performance or make a bad film.”

The memoir hits shelves on Tuesday, offering these personal reflections from the celebrated actress.