Glenda Jackson rejected Judi Dench's M role in Bond films

Veteran actress Glenda Jackson says she turned down the role that actress Judi Dench essayed in the Bond franchise.

In an interview, Jackson was asked whether she envied the likes of Dench and Maggie Smith for their success with the Bond and Harry Potter franchises.

She replied: "No, I was offered M, or whatever part Judi played in the Bond films."

Jackson also argued that there are too few roles for older women in Hollywood.

Responding to suggestions that older actresses are in high demand, Jackson, who has also served as a Member of Parliament in Britain, said: "Oh come on, no they're not. I'm sorry, they're not. I mean, why is it that contemporary dramatists don't find women interesting. That has never since I first set foot on a stage."