James Bond bosses left Judi Dench disappointed over filming change ahead of Skyfall exit

Judi Dench on Countryfile

Judi Dench has opened up about a Bond filming disappointment

BBC
Alex Davies

By Alex Davies


Published: 04/09/2023

- 13:30

Updated: 04/09/2023

- 13:34

Dame Judi Dench appeared in eight James Bond films overall

Bond legend Dame Judi Dench has shed light on one moment from filming that left her less than impressed with film bosses.

Back in 2012, Skyfall hit cinemas and marked the final time she'd have a leading role as 007's boss, M.


The film was shot predominantly in London but also transported cinemagoers to Istanbul, Shanghai, and, most notably, Scotland.

Dench's M travelled with Daniel Craig's Bond north of the border to the Scottish Highlands as they plotted to take down the vengeful Silva, played by Javier Bardem.

Set against a picturesque backdrop of Scottish hills and countryside, the film's final moments and M's eventual demise were easily one of the film's most talked-about moments.

However, Dench has now revealed that despite being told she'd be able to film in the jaw-dropping location for a fortnight, the sequence fans saw only took them less than a day to shoot.

Judi Dench in Skyfall

Judi Dench in Skyfall alongside Rory Kinnear and Daniel Craig

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Columbia Pictures,, Sony Pictures

"Albert Finney and I were going to go to Scotland and (were told), 'Oh you’ll be there for two weeks, certainly,'" Dench said as she reminisced about filming with her late co-star.

"We got intensely excited," she added. "I said, 'Oh my God.' I said, 'I love it so much.'

"Well, we flew up at something like 7:30 in the evening I think, and we arrived at our hotel, and we stayed there.

"And we were in Glencoe at 5:30 in the morning. We were back on the 7:30pm plane at night."

Dench explained further to TV presenter Charlotte Smith: "So the house in Skyfall was built on Ministry of Defense land at Aldershot.’

"Oh, so it was just the outside bit you had to do?" Smith asked. "You were just way too efficient clearly."

Dench confirmed this was the case as she delved further: "Just standing there with a car and Daniel Craig, just looking... And then back into the thing and back home."

"Oh dear," Smith responded to which Dench saw the brighter side as she remarked: "But we did see a bit of Glencoe."

Daniel Craig and Judi Dench

Judi Dench was the first woman to play M in the James Bond films

PA

Dench and Smith were chatting as part of a special episode of the BBC's Countryfile.

The duo got together at Inveraray Castle in western Scotland where they mulled over Dench's love for the countryside in the British country and how she grew up enjoying time in the Scottish Highlands.

You may like