Star-struck, Michelle Pfeiffer burst into tears on meeting Dame Judi Dench
MICHELLE Pfeiffer burst into tears when she met Dame Judi Dench on the set of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.
The 59-year-old actress is currently starring alongside the iconic actress in Sir Kenneth Branagh’s re-imagining of Agatha Christie’s whodunit novel set in the 1930s and Pfeiffer, 59, admitted she was “completely star-struck” meeting screen legend Dench, 82.
Speaking at the world premiere of the new movie at The Royal Albert Hall in London on Thursday (Nov 2), Pfeiffer said: “When I met her, I just cried ... I had tears coming down my face. I was just completely star-struck and moved by meeting her.”
Pfeiffer — whose filmography includes acclaimed roles in movies such as ‘Scarface’, ‘Batman Returns’ and ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ — said it took a lot of effort to act in front of Dench who is considered a master at period piece dramas.
She said: “It just takes jumping into the deep end, but it’s hard to trust that in the beginning. And so I was at that stage and I’m acting in front of Judi Dench, and I’m thinking OK, you cannot bomb in front of Judi Dench. This just can’t happen.”
‘Murder on the Orient Express’ follows Belgian detective Hercule Poirot who finds himself wrapped in a murder mystery after a passenger is murdered during the lavish trip through Europe.
The film sees Branagh take on the helm of the iconic detective and features a stellar cast which includes Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Olivia Colman, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad and Willem Dafoe.
Although the story is wellknown and has been made into a movie back in 1974, which saw Albert Finney portray Poirot, Branagh believes his version his different to any other production because he has “added some pieces” in order to make it unique.
And Branagh would “love” to make more films based around Christie’s books.
He said: “I would love to make more films from Christie’s books, although I’m sure we’re not going to make 37 of them, which is how many we have to choose from.” Meanwhile, Pfeiffer says a little dog bit Olivia Colman on the set of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ “a few times”.
The 43-year-old beauty plays Hildegarde Schmidt, Dame Judi Dench’s character Princess Dragomiroff’s maid, in the in Sir Kenneth Branagh’s re-imagining of Agatha Christie’s whodunit novel set in the 1930s.
Speaking about the camaraderie on set on UK TV show ‘Lorraine’ on Monday (Nov 6), Pfeiffer said: “Even the dogs behaved. Dogs never behave on music. I think the little black one might have bitten Olivia a few times. I don’t think that one liked her very much.”
Colman previously revealed that most of her part was spent holding a pooch sat next to the British acting legend.
She said: “I sat next to Judi Dench all day, holding a dog. It was heaven!” — BANG Showbiz