Judi Dench Discusses M's Death in 'Skyfall' in New Memoir

In her new memoir, "Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?", which was released on November 3, 2026, actress Judi Dench discusses her experience portraying the James Bond character M across eight films.

The Death of M in 'Skyfall'

Dench, who played M starting with "GoldenEye" in 1995, provided details regarding the circumstances of her character's death during the third act of the 2012 film "Skyfall." According to an excerpt from her memoir, Dench was informed of the plot development during a meeting at the Wolseley restaurant with Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, and director Sam Mendes.

Dench stated, "I was taken to the Wolseley restaurant by Barbara [Broccoli], Michael [G. Wilson], and Sam [Mendes, the director] – I don’t think Daniel Craig was there – and they outlined the plot and told me they were going to bump me off. My own fault, I suppose. Ever since ‘GoldenEye,’ when the entire film unit went off to Monte Carlo and St. Petersburg, and I only had three days in Watford, I’d been begging them to let me out from behind my desk. Well, they did finally let me out from behind my desk, and they shot me. [Laughs.]"

Regarding the decision to kill the character, Dench noted, "Apparently, it was Daniel’s idea to have me killed. But first I had to suffer the indignity of being sacked by Ralph Fiennes. Arsehole. [Laughs.]"

Career and Character Background

Dench's tenure as M spanned eight Bond films, which she noted is one more than Roger Moore, whom she identified as the longest-running 007 to date. She described her portrayal of M as a character who is "tough, direct, no-nonsense," and "comfortable in authority."

In the memoir, Dench shared insights into the character's history, noting that M studied law at Oxford, has two daughters, and enjoys whisky. She also mentioned that in "Casino Royale," she discovered the character was married, and by "Skyfall," the character was a widow whose late husband loved poetry. Dench also noted that the character's name, Olivia Mansfield, may have been inspired by her own middle name, Olivia.

Addressing Press Reports and 'Spectre'

Dench addressed previous media reports regarding her reaction to being replaced in the franchise. She stated, "It was reported in the press that I’d cried when they told me I was being replaced. Of course I didn’t cry. Why on earth would I cry after twenty glorious years and eight Bond films."

Dench also mentioned her involvement in the follow-up film, "Spectre," noting she had a brief cameo appearing on a television screen that took approximately one hour to shoot. However, she stated, "Because they killed me off, I’m still sulking, and so I’ve never seen the film. [Laughs.]"

Future of the Franchise

While the future of the character M remains unknown, there is an expectation that producers and director Denis Villeneuve could recast the supporting cast for "Bond 26."

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Sources

• theplaylist.net: Judi Dench Blames Wanting Scenes Away From A Desk For M's 'Skyfall' Death: "Apparently, It Was Daniel's Idea To Have Me Killed"
• variety.com: Judi Dench Tells All About Bond: It Was Daniel Craig's Idea to 'Have Me Killed'

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.