Happy 70th, Helen Mirren!
Whether as a TV detective or Queen Elizabeth, Helen Mirren is one of cinema's most memorable actresses. She celebrates her 70th birthday on July 26.
Helen as the Queen
When she began her acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967, Helen Mirren could probably have never imagined that she would one day play Queen Elizabeth. Released in 2006, "The Queen" was the most critically acclaimed film of the year. Mirren was born to an English mother and Russian father on July 26, 1945 in London.
Three Queens
Mirren is likely the only actress to have played three English queens: Queen Elizabeth I in the television series "Elizabeth I," Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 film, and Queen Charlotte in the 1994 film "The Madness of King George." When the reigning monarch invited the actress to dinner in Buckingham Palace in 2007, Mirren had to decline due to an unavoidable work assignment.
Dame Helen
Playing Queen Elizabeth was one of Helen Mirren's most celebrated roles. She received a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and her only Academy Award for her terformance. Her accolades go beyond trophies, though. In 2003, she received a Damehood in the Order of the British Empire.
Star in 'penis-centered' Hollywood
In January 2013, Helen Mirren was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, right next to Colin Firth, who also portrayed royalty in "The King's Speech." Mirren had vowed never to belong to the Hollywood establishment, which she criticized as being an "altar of the 18 to 25-year-old male and his penis." Just one star can't hurt, though.
Love and work
It was on the set of "White Nights" in 1985 that Helen Mirren met and fell in love with director Taylor Hackford. They have been married since 1997. Hackford had two children from a previous marriage; Mirren has no children of her own. She had previously been romantically involved with actor Liam Neeson.
On stage
While she may be most famous abroad for her cinema work, Mirren's impressive theater career spans from 1965 to the present. She's largely been active with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company. Mirren is pictured here wtih co-star Alan Rickman in a 1998 rehearsal for "Antony and Cleopatra" at the Royal National Theatre in London.
Early cinema success
Mirren is pictured here as Caroline in the 1990 film "The Comfort of Strangers," which was directed by Paul Schrader and based on a short novel by Ian McEwan. The mystery was screened out of competition in Cannes that year. Some of her other early notable films included "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover" (1989), "The Madness of King George" (1994) and "Teaching Mrs. Tingle" (1999).
Prime Suspect
Television fans in the UK and beyond will remember Helen Mirren from the crime series "Prime Suspect," which started in 1991. As detective Jane Tennisson, Mirren kept the streets free of dangerous criminals. She left the show after five seasons, but returned for special appearances until 2006.
Strong women
In 2011, Helen Mirren hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Award ceremony, together with fellow actress Rosario Dawson. Three women - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, women's right activist Leymah Gbowee, and democracy campaigner Tawakkul Karman - were honored at the event. Mirren applauded them and pointed out that it's a shame that only 15 women have won the prize in its 112-year history.
Art drama
"Woman in Gold" (2015), Mirren's most recent film, is based on the story of a Gustav Klimt painting which was stolen by the Nazis in 1938. Mirren plays Maria Altmann, an heir to the work and an elderly Jewish refugee living in the US. Altmann seeks to have the painting returned - taking her case all the way to the Supreme Court. Mirren was honored by the Jewish World Congress for her performance.
Back in the Queen's clothes
As if "The Queen" weren't enough royalty, Mirren starred in Peter Morgan's play "The Audience," based on the monarch's weekly meetings with her prime ministers. The play ran in 2013 at the Gielgud Theatre in London and in 2015 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City (pictured).