Judi Dench explains why convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein has 'done his time'

Dame Judi Dench has made her feelings on disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein known, claiming the convicted rapist had possibly ‘done his time’ behind bars.

In February 2020, Weinstein, 73, was first convicted in a New York trial, where he was initially found guilty of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual act.

His 23-year sentence was overturned four years later by the New York Court of Appeals. However, in a June 2025 retrial, he was convicted of one count of criminal sexual act in New York.

The latest conviction is in addition to a a 16-year sentence that Weinstein has yet to serve after being convicted of sex crimes in Los Angeles in 2022.

Dame Judi Dench, 90, who worked with the Miramax co-founder on numerous films, including 1997’s Mrs. Brown and 1998’s Shakespeare in Love, previously claimed she was ‘completely unaware’ of the allegations against him, telling Newsweek that she thought then ‘horrifying’.

Dame Judi Dench has spoken out about former film producer Harvey Weinstein (Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)

“I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out,” the Oscar winner said in 2017.

In a new interview with Radio Times, Dench spoke about her Quaker faith, of which forgiveness is a central tenet of the belief, and how ‘personal’ forgiveness is to her.

On the topic of her faith and Weinstein, she said: “I saw a bit of film of Harvey walking with two sticks and you think, 'Well…'

“I knew Harvey and I knew him well and worked with him, and I had none of that experience – very fortunately for me,” the Philomena star continued.

Weinstein worked with Dench on various movies (Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images)

“I imagine he's done his time…"

"I don't know, to me it's personal – forgiveness.”

Dench also spoke about her relationship with actor Kevin Spacey, who was found not guilty of sexually assaulting four men in July 2023, and was found not liable in a civil case brought in New York in 2022.

Next year, the 66-year-old is set to face three more claims of sexual assault in London civil court.

Spacey, who appeared in 2001’s The Shipping News with Dench, comforted the national treasure after the death of her husband, Michael Williams, in the same year.

“Kevin has been exonerated and I hear from Kevin, we text,” she confirmed.

In another interview with The Radio Times, Dench claimed that both Weinstein and Spacey’s work should be separated from their alleged offenses.

Dench and Spacey have been friends since starring in 2001's The Shipping News (David M. Benett/Getty Images)

“Are we going to negate 10 years at the Old Vic and everything that [Spacey] did, how wonderful he’s been in all those films?”

“Are we just not going to see all those films that Harvey produced? You cannot deny somebody a talent. You might as well never look at a Caravaggio painting. You might as well never have gone to see Noel Coward.”