Welcome to The Helen Mirren Archives, your premiere web resource on the British actress. Best known for her performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, "Prime
Suspect" and her Oscar-winning role in "The Queen", Helen Mirren is one of the world's most eminent actors today. This unofficial fansite provides you with all latest
news, photos and videos on her past and present projects. Enjoy your stay.
|
Celebrating
10 years
on the web
|
In an action-packed year, filled with blockbusters, critical misfires, a controversial biopic – and a Hollywood strike – Helen Mirren, at 78, proved to be busier than ever. On the heels on the just released first season of “1923”, which would run through February, Helen celebrated the world-premiere of “Golda” at the Berlin Film Festival – a drama that would prove anticipated but controversial due to casting an important historical Jewish figure with a non-Jewish actor – and the boiling protests in Israel that would explode in horrible ways later in the year. The early months also saw an extensive promotional tour for “Shazam! Fury of the Gods”, Mirren’s first venture into the DC universe, with appearances in Rome, London and Los Angeles. The sequel to DC’s good-natured family film bombed at the box office, grossing only $134 million worldwide.
Helen’s second franchise appearance of the year – a cameo as Queenie Shaw in “Fast X” – fared better, but still behind expectations at the box office. But all this was forgotten with “the movie that saved Hollywood”, at least this year. Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie”, narrated by Helen Mirren, became highest-grossing film of 2023, grossing $1.44 billion. It was also the very last film to be promoted before Hollywood shut down for its Actor’s Strike, which would last a whopping 118 days. “Golda” received a waiver for promotion (since it was not a studio film but an independent production), and Helen would attend the Jerusalem Film Festival and a London screening to promote the film’s Autumn release. It remained little seen, as pretty much every film released during the strike, finishing its run with $4.8 million in the United States and $5.8 million worldwide.
In November, Helen was honored with the 2023 Humanitarian Award during the Spirit of Hope Benefit at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center. She also received a Life Achievement Award from the Jerusalem Film Festival and was announced as the 2023 recipient by the American Cinematheque, although their festivities have been moved to early 2024 due to the strike.