Dame Judi Dench

Dame Judi Dench

Dame Judi Dench finds acting harder as she gets older.

The 78-year-old screen star doesn't find it easy to learn her lines as she advances in age and can no longer absorb a script simply by reading it.

She said: "Is acting more challenging? It's more difficult to learn, of course - things take longer. It's not so organic. My husband [the late Michael Williams, also an actor] used to say to me, 'You never sit down to learn your lines, you know them organically'. He used to sit and actually read a script, but I could read it and somehow retain it. Don't ask me why. I don't know how, but I can't do that now."

Although she has a few minor hurdles to overcome in her career as she matures, Judi - who was last seen on the big screen opposite Daniel Craig in James Bond adventure 'Skyfall' - has no plans to ever retire from acting because it is her main passion in life.

She said: "I know I want to go on acting, otherwise I'll hang my boots up and put my feet up the chimney. It's what keeps you going. It's the motor, so you've got something permanently that you're trying to work out. There's constantly questions and answers that you have to make, either on your own or with other people's assistance. And it's the interaction with other actors - that's what is so exciting."