Helen Mirren has a lovely feature in the new issue of Harper’s Bazaar. She’s promoting Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, so obviously… Bazaar gave her a nutcracker for the photoshoot, and they just let Helen be Helen. I love this photo so hard, honestly. This should be our response to any and all of the sexist crap every woman puts up with on a daily basis. Whenever he says “don’t get hysterical,” just hand him this photo. Whenever he says “I could never vote for her because of her voice,” hand him this photo. Anyway, you can read the full Bazaar feature here. Some highlights:
On being a self-proclaimed scaredy-cat: “I consider myself a scaredy-cat… Yes, oh, yes. I’m constantly nervous. I’m always worried that I’m not going to do it right. But you have to just jump and then the adrenaline kicks in.”
On her upcoming role of Mother Ginger in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms: “The costumes! My God! Every costume is a complete work of art. I’m eternally fascinated and impressed by the artisanal craftsmen behind the camera. You walk into the studio and you’re in a forest. It smells like a forest. It looks like a forest. It’s extraordinary. I was just dying to take photographs. But Disney is very, very secretive, and you can’t take photographs.”
On her excitement to finally play a villain (in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms): “She’s fabulous and funny, and becomes bitter and angry. Women get to play much cooler villains these days… But I’ve always had a secret ambition to play a villain in a James Bond movie.”
On the royals and the queen—in spite of many years playing the queen of England: “I don’t care that much, though I do watch The Crown. I just think it’s beautifully realized… In her old age, [the queen] has that indomitable spirit. I love her. I’m not a royalist; I’m a queenist.”
Re: “I love her. I’m not a royalist; I’m a queenist.” That’s actually a really big problem, in general, for the monarchy. No one really wants to talk about the idea of the UK throwing out their monarchy… while Queen Elizabeth II is still on the throne. But those conversations are going to be all over the place when QEII passes away. It’s not just about a general apathy towards Prince Charles, it’s about QEII’s reign and how she’s practically above any kind of reproach, but every other Windsor is seen as largely expendable.
Also: Helen should TOTALLY play a Bond villain. She would be amazing.
Photo courtesy of Zoey Grossman for Harper’s Bazaar, sent from promotional email. Additional photo courtesy of WENN.
I’d love to see her play Bond, actually.
If not Bond, then M (after all, Judi Densch’s character died in the last one).
I think she would be a delicious villain.
Watch her in Reds and Reds 2 with Bruce Willis & John Malkowich. They play a trio of assassins. Helen Mirren dressed in a formal gown with a scoped rifle is a wonder to behold.
Oh you speak TRUTH! They are violent though, so one must be in the right mood. Nevertheless, great action and Mz. Mirren is brilliant
My fav scene from RED is when HM dressed up in a fabulous black gown dissolves a body in a bathtub and someone calls her on a phone and she answers saying “Can’t talk right now, I’m with someone” 😀 😀 😀
Helen can do whatever she wants….She is a goddess
So true Elizabeth!! I want to be her when I grow up, lol
I saw the Nutcracker and the Four Realms yesterday and I really liked it! It was good and visually weird. The story was really creative, and it was so awesome to see an adventure film with a little girl at the center of the story! Helen Mirren was nice and creepy. All the major characters were female. So great! My only complaint is that it’s another dead mother film from Disney. That was really at the heart of this story though. That part was very sad, so be prepared if you’re taking kids.
Helen could be Bond, a villain AND M; she’s that good! I love her and her attitude towards life/aging. She’s also quite right about the distinction between royalist and queenist. A number of people support the BRF because of TQ and her commitment to duty and country, not to mention her longevity. When TQ is gone, the republicans may feel more empowered to question the role of a monarchy in the modern age.
She played a wonderful contract killer in both RED movies and I’d love to see her play a villain in a James Bond movie. She has the looks, the voice and sense of control that would make her a great villain-ess.
I just spent the last week end rewatching some of my beloved Prime Suspect DVDs. God, she was good. Jane Tennison remains one of my favorite female characters.
And in one episode: Mark Strong, Peter Capaldi, Ciaran Hinds, Jonny Lee Miller, David Thewlis. Brit TV really has (had?) a way for brilliant writing and casting.
I just watched a Fast and Furious flick because of her. She’s of course a good villain.
Love those!
I’m with her. I admire the queen greatly. I think she takes her duties very seriously. Having grown up in the war shaped her tremendously. These generations following her are lazy, spoiled brats. And maybe that’s why she is fond of Meghan. Meghan hustled and worked for what she got.
I remember reading that for her wedding, she used the rationing coupons for her dress like everyone else. Can you imagine any of these other jerks doing that? Normal Bill wouldn’t be that normal.
Apparently, people sent Elizabeth some of their ration coupons for her wedding dress, but they were returned because it was illegal to use someone else’s coupons. It is stories like that which make people support TQ; she is seen as in touch with the people while being the living embodiment of British tradition and ceremony.
I think she sees a lot of herself in Meghan: both take their roles seriously and believe in hard work. We might debate how hard the BRF’s work actually is, but TQ truly believes and practices what she said on her 21st birthday: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
I would absolutely love to see her as a Bond villain. Somebody needs to make that happen asap.