Dame Judi Dench defends Harvey Weinstein, says the disgraced producer has ‘done his time’

Veteran British actress Judi Dench has stirred fresh controversy by publicly saying that disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein has “done his time.”

Dame Judi Dench defends Harvey Weinstein

The remarks came in a new interview with the UK magazine Radio Times, where Dench spoke candidly about forgiveness, her past working relationships, and how she views Weinstein’s fate following his convictions.

Dench, 90, said she saw recent footage of Weinstein “walking with two sticks,” and recalled that — having known and worked with him — she was “very fortunately” never exposed to misconduct. “I imagine he’s done his time,” she said. “I don’t know, to me it’s personal — forgiveness.”

She added that while she feels empathy for the victims of Weinstein’s crimes, her personal relationship and experiences have shaped her view of whether he deserves a path to forgiveness.

Her stance echoes a debate that has recurred in recent years: whether it is fair to “erase” the work of individuals accused or convicted of abuse.

Harvey Weinstein's crimes and his history with Judi Dench

Weinstein, 73, was convicted of rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles in 2023 and is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence.

He was first convicted in New York in 2020 after dozens of women came forward accusing him of sexual harassment, assault and rape — a watershed moment that helped fuel the global #MeToo movement. Among the charges he faced were “forcible touching” and predatory sexual assault, involving multiple survivors.

The court found him guilty of two felonies, and he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. However, the New York conviction was later overturned and sent for retrial. In the retrial, in 2025, Weinstein was found guilty on one count of committing a criminal sexual act against one survivor, acquitted of another charge, while a third allegation resulted in a mistrial.

In 2023, Weinstein was convicted again — this time in Los Angeles — on separate counts including rape and criminal sexual assault for offences committed years earlier. He was handed a 16-year jail sentence and is currently serving time in Rikers Island.

The verdicts were hailed by many survivors and supporters of justice as long overdue accountability for a man who abused power and authority, reportedly coercing, harassing and assaulting women over decades.

Dench and Weinstein share a long professional history. Weinstein’s production company helped bring her to global audiences with films including ‘Shakespeare in Love’ (1998) and ‘Philomena’ (2013) — among several collaborations during their decades-long association.

Still, in the wake of the first wave of allegations against Weinstein circa 2017, Dench publicly expressed horror at the claims. She offered sympathy to the victims and said she had been completely unaware of any misconduct.