Twenty years ago, Judi Dench earned her first Oscar nomination for her heartfelt portrayal of Queen Victoria in “Mrs. Brown.” Despite winning the Golden Globe and BAFTA, she lost at the Academy Awards to Helen Hunt for the comedy-drama “As Good As It Gets.”
Dame Judi has returned to the role in “Victoria and Abdul,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Backed by rave reviews for her performance, this British national treasure could finally win that elusive Best Actress Oscar.
Dench did win the supporting actress Oscar in 1998 for her brief turn as Elizabeth I in the Best Picture champ “Shakespeare in Love.” Since then, she has reaped five more Oscar bids, including four for Best Actress. Two of those — “Mrs. Henderson Presents” (2005) and “Philomena” (2015) — were for films directed by Stephen Frears who oversaw “Victoria and Abdul.”
The new film, set in 1887, chronicles the relationship between the monarch, who is celebrating her golden jubilee, and her new Indian servant Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal). Over the ensuing years, he becomes one of Victoria’s most trusted confidantes, which is a cause for concern among the royal courtiers, according to media reports.