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    Judi Dench Sets the Record Straight on Rumored Rift With Maggie Smith

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    Watch: Whoopi Goldberg Reveals Maggie Smith’s Death Impacted ‘Sister Act’ 3

    Judi Dench is diving into her notes on a scandal.

    In her new memoir Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, the legendary actress shed light on her rumored feud with the late Maggie Smith, revealing there was not only no bad blood between the pair, but that they remained friends until the Harry Potter alum’s 2024 death. 

    “She really was the most marvelous company,” Dench said in the book, out now, per Entertainment Weekly. “She had a ferocious intelligence, an acerbic wit and was very, very funny. And she was so beautiful, especially when she was young with that wonderful red hair. I mean really striking. And yet there wasn’t an ounce of vanity about her.”

    And that’s in spite of the rift rumors that have long overshadowed the pair’s friendship, with some speculating that Dench and Smith previously got into it over theater hierarchy and dressing room placement while working together.

    “What’s the matter with people?” Dench said in response to the speculation. “Haven’t they got enough to worry about with the play? I never mind where I am.”

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    But that’s not to say they didn’t have their differences. After all, Dench shared that while she adored Smith—who she affectionately calls Mags—she doesn’t think the pair could have shared a dressing room. 

    “We’re too different,” she explained. “Mags would prefer to sit in a corner, quietly reading, whereas I need the hustle and bustle of people coming in and out of the room—the hubbub and the chat and the tannoy turned up to full.”

    The 91-year-old met Smith in 1958 at the Old Vic, a theatre in Waterloo, London, where they started out as young actresses. They went on to share the screen in A Room With a View, Tea With Mussolini, Ladies in Lavender and the 2018 documentary Nothing Like a Dame.

    Photo by David M Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images

    And while it’s true the two were lifelong collaborators professionally, the Notes of a Scandal actress shared their relationship went much deeper. 

    Though Dench described Smith as “a very complex person” who she suspected was “quite lonely at times,” she said her lasting memory of The Lady in the Van actress “is one of unadulterated joy and laughter.”

    In fact, she shared she’s still mourning the loss of her friend two years after the Gosford Park actress’ death at age 89. 

    “God, I miss her,” Dench wrote. “I sometimes go to pick up the phone, thinking I must give her a ring, just to hear her voice, and I realize she’s no longer there.”

    Though Dench and Smith’s rumored rift has been officially put to rest, keep reading for a look at stars who are actually feuding…

    James Devaney/WireImage

    Kim Cattrall vs. Sarah Jessica ParkerSex and the City costars Kim and SJP had dodged feud rumors for years. But they were reignited after Kim decided not to return for a third movie and made comments about her costar that raised eyebrows.”What was your reaction to Kim Cattrall telling Piers Morgan that you were never friends just colleagues?” Andy Cohen asked SJP on a September 2017 episode of Watch What Happens Live.As she explained, “Just…heartbroken. I mean that whole week, you and I spoke about it because I was just…I don’t know I found it really upsetting because that’s, you know, that’s not the way I recall our experience.””So…it’s sad but I’m kind of…I don’t know, I always think that what ties us together is this singular experience is the thing,” she contined. “It was a professional experience but it became personal because it was years and years of our lives. So I’m hoping that that sort of eclipses anything that’s been recently spoken. That many years spent doing something so special that people had a connection with is such a privileged.”And though they didn’t film scenes together, Kim did make a small appearance on And Just Like That.

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    JoJo Siwa vs. Candace Cameron BureDuring a 2022 TikTok challenge, JoJo Siwa described Candace Cameron Bure as the “rudest” celebrity, later explaining that she felt snubbed when Bure once refused to take a picture with her on a red carpet. Shortly after the dig, however, the Full House alum apologized: “I kind of broke your 11-year-old heart. I didn’t take a picture with you. Ugh! I feel crummy, I feel—JoJo, I’m so sorry.”The two made amends. But months later, Candace was asked if she expects the Great American Family network, of which she serves as chief creative officer, to feature same-sex couples as leads in holiday movies. She said no, adding, “I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core.”JoJo, who came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in 2021, wrote on Instagram that the actress’ comment is “rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.”

    Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for ACM; Shutterstock

    Maren Morris & Cassadee Pope vs. Brittany AldeanIn August 2022, Cassadee and Maren traded harsh words with Brittany, wife of fellow country star Jason Aldean, after she shared an Instagram Reel of herself applying makeup on Aug. 23, writing, “I’d really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life.”

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    Tan France vs. Bobby BerkBobby (pictured second from left) addressed rumors of a falling out with Tan (middle) in January 2024, two months after he announced his exit from Queer Eye after eight seasons.”I want people to know that Tan and I—we will be fine,” he told Vanity Fair. “There was a situation, and that’s between Tan and I, and it has nothing to do with the show. It was something personal that had been brewing—and nothing romantic, just to clarify that.”In March 2024, Tan responded to allegations that he had campaigned to replace Bobby on Queer Eye with his friend Jeremiah Brent.”Netflix and the production companies did a full-on casting. I didn’t put my friend up for the job. They ended up getting it because they were the best person for the job,” he said on Instagram. “But I didn’t get them hired by getting rid of somebody else.”

    Rodin Eckenroth / WireImage / Gregg DeGuire / WireImage

    Sharon Osbourne vs. Ashton KutcherIn September 2023, while playing a game called Stir the Pot with her daughter Kelly Osbourne on E! News, Sharon said the That ’70s Show alum was the rudest celebrity she had ever met, branding him, a “rude, rude, rude, rude little boy” and a “dastardly little thing.”He did not respond to her remarks publicly.Five years prior, Sharon told Larry King that when Ashton appeared on The Talk in 2014, he had an “attitude” after she got his name wrong.”He goes, ‘What are you, what have you done in this industry?'” she recalled. “And I was like, ‘Kid, don’t start with me, because I’m gonna eat you up and s–t you out.’ So I was just like, ‘You don’t know what you’re dealing with, kid.'”

    JMEnternational/JMEnternational for BRIT Awards/Getty Images / Karwai Tang/WireImage

    Courtney Love vs. Olivia RodrigoBack in June 2021, Courtney Love accused Olivia Rodrigo of copying her band Hole‘s album cover for a promotional photo without giving credit. Olivia responded, “Love u and live through this sooooo much.” Courtney then replied, “Olivia – you’re welcome. My favorite florist is in Notting Hill, London! Dm me for deets! I look forward to reading your note [winking face emoji].”

    Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images, Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic

    Henry Winkler vs. Tom HanksDuring a 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, the Happy Days actor was asked why he didn’t get along with the Forrest Gump star on the set of the 1989 flick Turner & Hooch.”I was directing that movie for 13 days,” Winkler recalled, “and then I was called into [producer] Jeff Katzenberg‘s office and he said, ‘You have everything with you? Go home.'”He did, however, seem to get along with Hanks’ four-legged costar, quipping, “Love that dog.”Winkler later denied speculation that he still had beef with the Oscar winner, telling TMZ in 2020, “I don’t have a feud with Tom Hanks.”

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    Heidi Montag vs. Lauren Conrad”You know what you did!”Fans of The Hills will remember that iconic line, delivered by Lauren on the season three premiere. Their feud began when Heidi started dating her now-husband Spencer Pratt,andhit its peak when Lauren accused Heidi and Spencer of starting a rumor that she had made a sex tape with then-boyfriend Jason Wahler.

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    Dwayne Johnson vs. Tyrese GibsonThe costars reignited their ongoing feud in 2017 when Tyrese publicly called out Dwayne on Instagram after the Fast and Furious 9 release date was pushed back to April 2020. That same day, it was announced that a Fast and Furious spinoff starring Dwayne and Jason Statham would hit theaters in 2019. The following month, Tyrese threatened to quit Fast 9 if Dwayne was in the movie.Tyrese then opened up about the feud, telling Van Lathan on The Red Pill podcast, “I have yet to talk to The Rock to this day, and we will have a conversation.” He shared that he did have a chat with the former wrestler’s producing partner, but not the actor himself.”I found myself being the messenger on behalf of various people associated to the franchise, but stupid me was the only one who went public about those feelings, which is my own fault,” Tyrese said. “It’s not professional, it’s not cool.”

    Gustavo Caballero/Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

    Taylor Swift vs. Katy PerryNo more bad blood here.Taylor and Katy had been in a feud for years, their rift even allegedly inspiring Taylor’s song “Bad Blood.” The drama, which reportedly started over a backup dancer and competing tours, came to an end after Perry sent Taylor a literal olive branch before her Reputation Tour kickoff.”So I just got to my dressing room and found this actual olive branch,” Taylor said in an Instagram video. “This mean so much.”Taylor captioned the video, “Thank you Katy.”

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    Madonna vs. Elton JohnThe iconic singers have been feuding since 2004. While accepting the Classic Songwriter Award at the Q Awards that year, Elton said to attendees, “Madonna, best f–king live act? F–k off! Since when has lip-syncing been live? Sorry about that, but I think everyone who lip-syncs in public on stage, when you pay like 75 quid to see them, should be shot.”

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    Shonda Rhimes vs. Katherine HeiglThe former Grey’s Anatomy star sparked a feud with the series creator in 2008 when she removed her name from the Emmy Awards consideration. The actress stated that her reason for the move was because she wasn’t “given the material to warrant a nomination.”Shonda later opened up about Katherine’s decision during an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Oprah’s Next Chapter in 2012. “On some level it stung and on some level I was not surprised,” she said. “When people show you who they are, believe them. I carry that [mantra] with me a lot. It has served me well.”

    Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

    Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi BIt was the New York Fashion Week fight heard ’round the world when Nicki and Cardi got into a heated altercation at the Harper’s Bazaar Icon party. The following month, Cardi opened up about the catalyst for the fight with Nicki.”For a while now she’s been taking a lot of shots at me,” Cardi said in W magazine‘s Art Issue. “I spoke to her twice before, and we came to an understanding. But she kept it going.”The real spark of the fight came when Cardi saw that Nicki had allegedly liked and then unliked a tweet about Cardi’s parenting skills, which Nicki has denied.”I was going to make millions off my Bruno Mars tour, and I sacrificed that to stay with my daughter,” Cardi continued. “I love my daughter. I’m a good-ass f–king mom. So for somebody that don’t have a child to like that comment? So many people want to say that party wasn’t the time or the place, but I’m not going to catch another artist in the grocery store or down the block.”

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    Kanye West vs. Taylor SwiftTension betweenKanye and Taylor first started in 2009, when the “Stronger” rapper took the stage during her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. Years later, the two would make up and even become friends, but that came to an end in 2016 after the release of his song “Famous,” in which he name-checks the “End Game” singer.In February 2025, one day before the Grammys, Kanye updated his Instagram to follow only Taylor. He added no further comment, and his fellow musician did not respond publicly to the move.

    Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, David Buchan/Getty Images

    Mariah Carey vs. Jennifer Lopez”I don’t know her.”Mariah and J.Lo’s supposed feud started when the Queen of Christmas was asked to give her opinion on several singers during a 2003 German TV interview. When asked her opinion on Jennifer, she replied, “I don’t know her.”

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