Judi Dench: ‘I Was Once Told I Didn’t Have a Pretty Enough Face to Be in Movies’

Despite successfully working in showbiz for nearly 60 years, Judi Dench was once told she wasn't pretty enough to be an actress.

In a new interview, the British star recalls a time at the start of her career that she'll never forget.

"I went and met [the director]… and he asked me some questions and in those days, you weren't filmed and he said to me, 'Well it's been very nice meeting you but I'm sorry not this film and probably not any film as you have every single thing wrong with your face,'" the 80-year-old actress confessed.

Judi at age 23 in 1957.

"Well I got to do a few films after that so I'm very pleased he was wrong," she quipped as a response to the rude remark.

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Though the meeting was many years ago, Judi assured she would never reveal which director disliked her looks. "I can't because I've never, in all of time, since it happened — it was a long time ago — have said the name of the director but it was for a big film."

Judi with her Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1998.

Since then, the seven-time Oscar nominee has starred in more than 25 hit films and received critical acclaim for her acting. In 1998, Judi won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her performance in 'Shakespeare in Love.'

Watch Judi talk about the comment in 'The Tonight Show' video below.