Rosamund Pike has named Dame Judi Dench as the finest actress she has ever collaborated with, affectionately describing the veteran star as a "mischief maker". The 47-year-old actress, known for her roles in Gone Girl and Saltburn, shared her admiration during an interview with comedian Romesh Ranganathan on BBC Radio 2.
Pike, who worked alongside Dame Judi in a 2009 London production of Madame de Sade and the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, lauded her for being "so delightful" and her remarkable ability to seamlessly transition into character.
"The best actress I’ve ever worked with is Judi Dench, who’s such a mischief maker," Pike stated.
"She’s so delightful. She’s so, so good. If you ever just want to just hear something short, listen to Judi Dench read a Shakespeare sonnet, just find one on YouTube, and it will move you to tears – you’ll just think that is how English should be spoken.
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."
Shifting her praise to the male acting world, Pike also singled out American Psycho star Christian Bale as the best actor she has worked with. The pair starred together in the 2017 film Hostiles, though Pike admitted she doesn't know Bale well due to his renowned method acting approach.
"He’s another level," she remarked. "I can’t say I know him really, but it was just a pretty amazing experience to be around him in a film called Hostiles, but I don’t think I met Christian, I think I only met the character. He’s quite method. He’s very method."
Pike elaborated on Bale’s dedication, highlighting his profound commitment to his craft. "It’s just the level of truth, the level of commitment, integrity, truth. It’s the sort of depth of it all the time. I think he just doesn’t give anything away.
I think he’s not someone who’s fallen victim to the thing of needing to be liked. I don’t think he’s at all interested in his own image in the press or anything. I think he just does the work and has been able to do it since he was very young. I think he shuts out all the noise really well and creates the space he needs. His performances are just astounding."
In contrast to Bale’s immersive technique, Pike revealed her own approach to acting. "I’ve seen both ways of total excellence, and I think I can go quite up to the last minute being silly and then switch on."
Beyond her acclaimed roles in Gone Girl, 2005’s Pride and Prejudice, and the recent Saltburn, Pike is set to appear in the West End production of Inter Alia. The play will run from 19 March until 20 June at Wyndham’s Theatre.
