The actress, 79, who won an Oscar as best supporting actress for her role in 1998’s Shakespeare in Love and received a nomination as best actress this year for her lead role in Philomena, suffers from macular degeneration, an age-related medical condition that results in a gradual loss of vision, particularly in the centre of a person’s field of vision.
“I never want to make much of it, but it is difficult – very, very difficult,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
“I can’t read any more. I can’t paint like I used to. I try to watch movies, but it’s quite difficult. But these are all of the negatives. I don’t want to really think about all that. What I can do, I do. And I somehow get by.”
She also said that in the past she has relied on fellow actors to help her learn her lines – and she has no intention of letting the condition slow her down.
