Judi Dench: Rosamund Pike on a 'mischief maker' co‑star

Rosamund Pike has named Judi Dench her favourite female co‑star, a remark she made while describing Dench as a delightful “mischief maker. ” The comment, delivered in a broadcast interview, highlights the veteran actor’s off‑stage playfulness alongside a catalogue of shared screen and stage work that has kept the pair collaborating for years.

Rosamund Pike calls Judi Dench a "mischief maker" in a Radio 2 interview

The 47‑year‑old Pike, known for Gone Girl and the recent Saltburn, told comedian Romesh Ranganathan in an interview on Radio 2 that the best actress she has ever worked with is Judi Dench and described her as "such a mischief maker. " Pike said, "She’s so delightful. She’s so, so good, " and added: "She’s just amazing and yet, when you’re doing a play with her, she’s so funny, she’s so naughty. Off stage, she’s completely out of character, laughing, playing a practical joke, and then she walks on and it’s all there. "

Shared projects: Pride & Prejudice, Die Another Day and Madame de Sade

Pike and Dench have collaborated repeatedly: they appeared together in the 2005 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, in the James Bond movie Die Another Day, and in a 2009 London production — described as a stage revival or production — of Madame de Sade. Those projects span screen and stage and represent the "numerous collaborations" Pike referenced when praising Dench.

Behind the scenes: documented off‑stage naughtiness and pranks

Pike’s description echoes other anecdotes about Dame Judi’s off‑stage behaviour. Examples noted alongside Pike’s comments include an accidental naked FaceTime surprise played on a James Bond co‑star and the actress marking her 81st birthday by getting her first tattoo. Another story referenced is Lesley Manville admitting she wet herself while working with Dame Judi after Dench deliberately tried to make her laugh from the wings of the stage. Those incidents form the basis for calling judi dench a playful presence off stage.

Pike on Christian Bale, Hostiles and different acting approaches

Elsewhere in the Radio 2 interview Pike named Christian Bale her favourite male co‑star, saying "He’s another level. " The pair worked together on the 2017 film Hostiles, but Pike said she did not really get to know Bale because of his Method approach: "I can’t say I know him really... I don’t think I met Christian, I think I only met the character. He’s quite method. He’s very method. " Pike went on to praise Bale’s dedication, citing "the level of truth, the level of commitment, integrity, truth... I think he just doesn’t give anything away, " and contrasted that immersive technique with her own ability to "go quite up to the last minute being silly and then switch on. "

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