She's already been made a Dame, but judging by her latest on-screen performances Helen Mirren could have set her sights higher.
The esteemed actress has been widely praised for her portrayal of the British monarch in low-budget flick The Queen, which screened at the Venice Film Festival just a week after its star was awarded an Emmy for her role as another high-profile queen - Elizabeth I.Helen, who is in the running for the best actress gong, made a regal entrance as she stepped on to the red carpet on Sunday night at the Venice Lido. Glittering with expensive jewels, she exuded movie star glamour from top to toe in a shimmering floor-length gown. And her breathtaking £2.2-million white gold and diamond necklace would not have looked out of place on any head of state.
The popular actress' acclaimed portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in director Stephen Frears' movie has been hailed as "brilliant... ultimately complex and moving". Despite initial apprehension about the role – "I was very intimidated, very fearful and more nervous of this than anything I have ever done," she told the Daily Telegraph – the 61-year-old thespian clearly has a talent for playing queens.
Brought up as a staunch anti-monarchist, Helen nevertheless found portraying the British monarch fascinating. "I fell in love with her and I never thought that would ever happen," she admitted. The film deals with the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth's approach to her family's grief and that of the public.
Also attending the film festival over the weekend were Brit actor Clive Owen and French actress Juliette Binoche, who both have films in the running for Venice's top prize the Lion d'Or.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
