Judi Dench has recalled how actor Robin Williams offered support when her husband Michael Williams was battling lung cancer, according to a memoir excerpt.
The Memoir Details
- Dench shares the touching memory in her upcoming book, Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?, which hits shelves on Tuesday.
- The encounter occurred nearly 30 years ago in Scotland at actor Billy Connolly’s home, where Dench and her ailing husband were staying.
- Williams noticed Michael Williams flagging during a woodland party and walked alongside the couple up a steep hill to ensure they made it back safely.
A Steep Hill in Scotland
The moment unfolded decades ago during a gathering at the Scottish estate of actor Billy Connolly, yahoo.com reported. Dench and her husband, Michael Williams, were staying at the property when they attended an evening party featuring a bonfire and a ceilidh in the woods.
Michael Williams was severely ill with lung cancer at the time. As the evening progressed, Dench noticed her husband beginning to flag from exhaustion. The couple decided to turn in early and began climbing a very steep hill leading away from the festivities.
Robin Williams appeared beside us and offered to help, but Michael said he could manage,
Dench writes in the excerpt. And Robin said, ‘Well, I think I’ll ride shotgun anyway’, which was such a lovely thing to say.
Decades of Professional and Personal Ties
Dench reflected on that moment of sensitivity, noting how the comedian offered his presence without imposing himself. The two veteran performers shared professional ties prior to the Scottish encounter, having appeared together in 1996’s Hamlet. Years later, in 1999, Williams presented Dench with the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love.
Michael Williams passed away on January 11, 2001, at the age of 65, after three decades of marriage to Dench. Robin Williams died in August 2014 at the age of 63.
Reflections on Cats and Literary Release
Alongside personal recollections of her late husband, Dench’s new book addresses her participation in the widely panned 2019 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats. Yahoo.com noted that this marks the first time the Oscar winner has publicly discussed her experience on the critically reviled project.
Judi Dench Reveals How Robin Williams Showed His Tender Side When Her Husband Was Ill (Exclusive) https://t.co/BSDTCxfwTa
More on Robin Williams
Judi Dench writes that Robin Williams was "gently supportive" during her late husband's cancer battle in her forthcoming memoir:“Michael was very ill at the time and I could see him flagging, so we said our good nights and began walking up this very steep hill. Robin Williams… pic.twitter.com/pth1SjCPqd”
Judi Dench Says Robin Williams Was ‘Gently Supportive’ During Her Late Husband’s Cancer Battle: ‘I’ve Often Thought About’ His ‘Sensitivity and Understanding’ https://t.co/g6MsVsyI7z
Judi Dench is looking back on Robin Williams ‘sensitivity and understanding’ when her husband, the late actor Michael Williams, was battling lung cancer in the early 2000s. https://t.co/l4fxCAdNpi
