Dame Judi Dench decried trigger warnings in theaters and movies as “mollycoddling,” telling U.K. outlet The Times Friday that it “drives [her] wild” to see them.
The 91-year-old English actress expressed the thoughts in an excerpt for Dench’s upcoming memoir, “Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?”
As a stage and screen veteran, Dench claimed that placing trigger warnings in front of productions has gone beyond age limits or sound effects.
“I think they have gone too far,” Dench said. “It’s mollycoddling. If you’re that sensitive, don’t go to the theater.
“By all means, keep the warnings about strobe lighting and gunshots, and obviously there should be age limits for children, but that’s about it. Otherwise, where will it end?”
Dench also joked that trigger warnings have potentially ruined classic stories by removing surprises and watering down provocative content.
“The trigger warnings before ‘Titus Andronicus’ would be longer than the play. And if you overdo the warnings, doesn’t it take away from the audience’s enjoyment of the story? Do you tell them that the butler did it in an Agatha Christie play so as not to shock them?
“Besides, in the safety of a theater or cinema, I want to be triggered, excited, stimulated, provoked and disturbed, to be taken out of my comfort zone. Isn’t that what makes theater and films so thrilling?” Dench said.
“And who knows what might trigger people? Balloons, clowns, buttons. … I have a friend who doesn’t like bananas. She feels physically sick every time she sees one. Should supermarkets put up warning signs in the fruit and veg aisle? It drives me wild.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Dench’s representative for comment.
The English actress made similar comments about content advisories in a 2024 interview in which she expressed sympathy for some arguments but ultimately suggested those too sensitive should simply not go to the theater.
“I can see why they exist, and it is preparing people, I suppose. But if you’re that sensitive, don’t go to the theater because you could be very shocked,” Dench said.
In a comment to Fox News Digital, film critic and “Hollywood in Toto” podcast host Christian Toto called it a “sad state of affairs” that Dench’s comments would be considered surprising but celebrated them regardless.
“Dench’s statement on trigger warnings is obvious, but it still needs to be said today. It’s especially helpful coming from an artist. Almost anything in art can be triggering, all depending on the audience. If your beloved dog died last week, any story with a sick pup can be ‘triggering.’ Art is meant to challenge us, to question our beliefs and offer new perspectives on older ideas. All of the above might be triggering today,” Toto said.
“So deal with it, or don’t consume art. This kind of wisdom is rare in Hollywood. Kudos for Dench for lighting the way to sanity.”
