Judi Dench says Harvey Weinstein ‘did his time’, HW praises her

Dame Judi Dench is all about forgiveness when it comes to her friend Harvey Weinstein …and she thinks we should cut the disgraced producer some slack. He completely agrees!

Here’s the deal… the Oscar-winning actress raised eyebrows in a recent interview, saying HW has served his time following sex crime convictions during the #MeToo movement.

Harvey tells TMZ through his rep … that he has deep respect for Dench, adding … “She is an extraordinary person who has played an important role in my career.”

Judi has known Harvey for years, and he was apparently a very good friend to her. He had a hand in shaping her career, and she says she had none of the experience his accusers claimed.

While she spoke out candidly against him when reports of sexual assault first emerged, his seemingly declining health now seems to have truly appealed to Judi’s sympathetic heart in an interview with Radio times.

She told the publication: “I saw a video of Harvey walking with two sticks, and you think, ‘Well…'”

She continued… “I imagine he’s had his time… I don’t know, for me it’s personal: forgiveness.”

Harvey told us, in response to Dench’s comments… “I have now been in prison for over six and a half years, including a year and a half at Rikers, which could be considered double time. I am here for something I did not do, and many of the claims written about me are slowly proving to be untrue or unsupported. I am grateful for the kind words expressed, and all I want is the chance to return to my family and children.”

The actress also seemed to add to it Kevin Spacey‘s name on the list of those in need of public forgiveness.

“Kevin was cleared, and I hear from Kevin that we’re texting,” Judi said.

The Oscar-winning actor is said to have given Judi comfort when her husband passed away in 2001.