Judi Dench

Judi Dench has played so many queens and other assorted formidable women that one might be forgiven for assuming she has some regal, or at least exceptional, lineage. One would, however, be mistaken. Her family tree, as far as public records indicate, is rooted firmly in Yorkshire and Dublin, without a whisper of the Tribe.

Despite her lack of Jewish bona fides, Dench certainly brings a certain *kvell*-ability to her roles. She’s won an Academy Award, a Tony, and enough Oliviers to fill a small trophy room. If she were Jewish, her bubbe would have plotzed with pride.

So, while we can't claim her as one of our own by any stretch of the imagination, we can certainly appreciate the sheer talent and dedication she brings to her craft. Maybe if she played Golda Meir, we could… no, probably not, even then.