According to The Hollywood Reporter, Helen Mirren’s ardent feminism came to the fore Thursday night when the Oscar-winning actress was asked during a keynote conversation in Toronto what she looked forward to beyond the “horrible situation” of the current Israel-Hamas war. “Gosh, that’s an incredibly difficult question, because you don’t want to be naïve and silly. Of course one hopes for peace,” Mirren told the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center during an appearance at its 2023 Spirit of Hope Benefit. Praised as a steadfast ally in the fight against anti-Semitism by the human rights organization after she received their 2023 Humanitarian Award, Mirren’s informal conversation was overshadowed by events in the Middle East after Israel declared war on the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza after its Oct. 7 surprise attack on southern Israel. Asked at one point during the keynote what frightens her today, Mirren answered without pause: “Oh, October the seventh. That scares me the most, and whatever it is in humanity that makes people able to do that, whatever it is that pushes them to commit those acts, whatever brainwashing, whatever it is that can turn peoples’ minds to those actions.” Pointing to other grave human atrocities in history, she referenced the Holocaust during the Second World War and America’s traumatic history of lynching African-American men to terrorize their communities. “Lynchings were very prevalent. And I just saw recently postcards of an audience at a lynching, that they’d send to each other, as sort of, ‘what fun we had the other night at the lynching.’ What it is in us, human beings? Is it fundamental to us? It is so much a part of our nature as all the goodness we have,” Mirren additionally asked during the Toronto gala. Mirren also addressed the controversy over a non-Jew like herself being cast to play the Israeli leader. “It’s a legitimate discussion. The whole idea of casting has really been blown out of the water recently, and I applaud that. It’s completely right,” she said. At the same time, Mirren said she would not have taken the part of Golda Meir if the biopic itself had not been directed by an Israeli, Nattiv. She added, “Without that authentic voice, I just wouldn’t have done (the role) with someone else.” Edit: Pictures have been added to the photo gallery.

This week, Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford were guests at the Festival Lumière in Lyon, France. Hackford was the recipient of a Life Achievement Award for his outstanding career in directing – and Helen was on hand for the festival’s Robert Altman retrospective, which featured a screening of “Gosford Park” in her attendance. Pictures from both events have been added to the photo gallery.

We know by now that a. Helen Mirren likes to have a good time and b. knows she’s worth it. On Sunday, she showed off a wild crimped hairstyle on the runway during Paris Fashion Week when she hit the catwalk for the L’Oreal spring/summer 2024 show. She was accompanied by Elle Fanning, so you had both Catherine the Great’s combined. Pictures from the runway have been added to the photo gallery.

Yesteday, Helen Mirren has attended the UK premiere of “Golda” ahead of its release in cinemas. Speaking of her role, she said: “Golda Meir was a formidable, intransigent and powerful leader. It is a great challenge to portray her at the most difficult moment of her extraordinary life. I only hope I do her justice.” “Golda” was written by Nicholas Martin, who previously penned a biopic of American socialite Florence Foster Jenkins, and directed by Guy Nattiv who led Oscar-winning short film “Skin”. Nativ said: “I have long been an admirer of the great Helen Mirren. She has melted so brilliantly into Golda Meir’s character with incredible talent, intelligence, depth and emotion, doing justice to the richness and complexity of this incredible woman.” Pictures from the screening have been added to the photo gallery.

This weekend, Helen Mirren was invited as the Godmother to discover a dozen installations by national and international artists to illuminate areas of Alberobello – the City of Trulli. Mirren has become an emblem in the fight against the killer bacterium, xylella, which has exterminated most of the olive trees in Salento. From 22 to 30 July, the streets and squares of Alberobello will host light installations by national and international artists, transforming the entire city into a path of light and color that will embellish the priceless UNESCO heritage of which we are all custodians. According to their website, the Alberobello Light Festival is much more than an event: it is an engaging experience suitable for visitors of all ages, in a unique and unforgettable atmosphere. Pictures from the event have been added with credit to the festival’s Facebook page.

As earlier reported, Helen Mirren is visiting Israel to attend the 40th Jerusalem Film Festival. “Golda” has been chosen as the fest’s opening film and Helen will also receive a Life Achievement Award while being there. You can read a comprehensive summary of the rather entertaining press conference at The Jerusalem Post – I’ll leave you with this bit: Asked about the coincidence of the fact that she is participating in another festival movie – she is the voice of the narrator in Barbie, which is having its sneak preview there – she said, “I think that we need a Golda Meir Barbie,” a remark which brought down the house and concluded the event. A couple of pictures from the press conference and the screening have been added to the photo gallery. In this excerpt of her acceptance speech, Mirren acknowleged the just announced actor’s strike in Hollywood.

Members of my tribe can be found in Germany, Belgium, the United States. Palestinians, Israelis, Africans. They are the tribe to whom I really want to dedicate this award and say thank you. I had the greatest time on “Golda” because immediately I felt that I belonged. Thank you to my wonderful tribe of actors, all over the world in every language there is. (Helen Mirren, Jerusalem Film Festival)

For the third year in a row, Helen Mirren was among the many celebrity guests of Dolce & Gabbana’s lavish Italian weekend festivities Alta Moda. She joined the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kerry Washington, Angela Bassett, Christian Bale, and hundreds of other guests for a swirl that featured back-to-back glamorous events over five days including a concert by Diana Ross. On the first night’s welcome event, Mirren took the stage and pointed out that some of the region’s olive trees are as old as – or even older – than Rome’s Colosseum. The famous Roman structure has a couple of millennia on Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s business, but at 40 this year, their brand is its own kind of Italian institution: colorful, proud, and rooted in family and tradition, but also quite alive in the popular imagination. Pictures from the festivities – alongside another recent Italian appearance – have been added to the photo gallery.

We have established that Italy loves Helen Mirren – apparently, they adore her husband, too. On Saturday, Taylor Hackford received a Life Achievement Award at the 50th Premi Internazionali Ennio Flaiano in Pescara, and Helen was on hand to support her hubby, famed for “An Officer and a Gentleman”, “White Nights”, “Dolores Claiborne”, “The Devil’s Advocate” and “Ray”. A couple of pictures from the ceremony have been added to the photo gallery. According to their website, the Flaiano International Awards, founded in 1973 by Edoardo Tiboni to honor Ennio Flaiano, consist of a series of events, exhibitions, conferences, shows in which concrete cultural motives converge – literary, theatrical, cinematic and television. Many thanks to Joan for the heads-up. Edit: Lots of additional photos and a couple of videos from the event have been added. Check the list below for updates.

Helen Mirren is having an Italian Summer for all of us – and a very busy, extended weekend. After attending Saturday’s ORA! Film Fest (see previous update and find new pictures in the gallery), Mirren was seen on Sunday’s Lecce-Bologna Match at the Via del Mare stadion. And today, she was a special guest at the Università del Salento, where a new promotional spot for the university with her participation was released. Pictures and videos have been added to the photo gallery.

As previously reported, Helen Mirren attended Saturday’s opening night of Puglia’s new ORA! Film Fest, attending a Q&A with colleagues Matthew Modine, Marisa Tomei and John Turturro, who will be all honored during the festival’s run this week. Chances are good we will be seeing more of Helen during the festival. For now, pictures from the opening night have been added to the photo gallery.