Dustin Hoffman took his unsuspecting co-star Dame Judi Dench by surprise when he photobombed her on the red carpet in London. The pair were attending the screening of their new film Esio Trot on Wednesday evening. Stealthily creeping up behind the 79-year-old actress, Dustin, who plays Judi's on-screen love interest in the movie, took the opportunity to make a pair of bunny ears behind her head. As fans and paparazzi captured the amusing moment on camera, Judi turned around and laughed off the joke with the American actor.
Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench star in a Roald Dahl TV adaption
The Meet the Fockers star, 77, embraced the actress before showering her with kisses and chuckling away. Their latest film is based on the Roald Dahl 1990 children's book. It tells of shy old Mr Hoppy, played by Dustin, falling in love with his neighbour Mrs Silver – Judi's character – and attempting to woo her through her beloved pet tortoise Alfie. Writer Richard Curtis is the man behind the winter heart-warmer, which is in the frame to air on TV on Christmas Day.
Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench play on-screen love interests in the film
While Judi has previously admitted that her deteriorating eyesight has got so bad that she can't read her own scripts, the Philomena actress seems determined to stave off retirement. "It drives me absolutely spare when people say: 'Are you going to retire?' or 'Don't you think it's time you put your feet up?' or tell me my age," said Judi at a press conference prior to the screening.
Judi Dench said she 'loathes' it when people ask about her retiring
"I loathe it," she added. "I don't want to be told that I'm too old to do something. I want to try it first and then, if I don't succeed, then I can be told I can't do it. "Otherwise, because you get to a certain age, it's: 'Oh well, you mustn't do that because you might have a fall or you can't learn the lines or you can't see.' Let me have a go. Let us all have a go." Judi was diagnosed with macular degeneration several years ago, a condition which could lead to blindness.