MIRREN, Helen 1945(?)–

(Dame Helen Mirren)

PERSONAL

Original name, Ilynea Lydia Mironoff; born July 25, 1945 (some sources say 1946), in London, England; daughter of Basil Mirren (a viola player and cab driver); married Taylor Hackford (a film director), December 31, 1997; stepchildren: Rio, Alexander. Education: Attended convent school and teacher–training college; studied acting at National Youth Theatre, London, 1963–64, and International Centre for Theatre Research, Paris, France.

Addresses: Agent—Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Publicist—PMK/HBH, 700 San Vicente Blvd., Suite G910, West Hollywood, CA 90069.

Career: Actress, director, and producer. Performed at National Youth Theatre, 1963–64, Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company, 1967–?, and Peter Brook's International Center for Theater Research, United States and Africa, 1972–73; previously worked at an amusement park.

Awards, Honors: Plays and Players London Theatre Critics Award, best actress, 1975, for Teeth 'n' Smiles and The Seagull; Saturn Award nomination, best supporting actress, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, 1982, for Excalibur; Cannes International Film Festival Award, best actress, 1984, Evening Standard British Film Award, best actress, Film Award nomination, best actress, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1985, all for Cal; TV Award, best actress in a television program, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1991, Royal Television Society Award, best actor—female, Broadcasting Press Guild Award, best actress, 1992, all for "Prime Suspect," Mystery!; TV Award, best actress in a television program, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1992, Emmy Award nomination, best actress in a miniseries or special, 1993, both for "Prime Suspect II," Mystery!; TV Award, best actress in a television program, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Emmy Award, best lead actress in a miniseries, 1994, both for "Prime Suspect III," Mystery!; Emmy Award, best lead actress in a miniseries, 1995, for Prime Suspect: Scent of Darkness; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actress in a play, Outer Critics Circle Award, best debut of an actress, Theatre World Award, outstanding new performer, 1995, all for A Month in the Country; Cannes International Film Festival Award, best actress, Academy Award nomination, best supporting actress, 1995, Film Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a leading role, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, ALFS Award nomination, British actress of the year, London Critics Circle Film Awards, 1996, all for The Madness of King George; Golden Globe Award, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for TV, CableACE Award nomination, actress in a miniseries or movie, 1997, both for Losing Chase; Emmy Award nomination, best lead actress in a miniseries, Golden Satellite Award, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, TV Award nomination, best actress, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1997, all for "Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgement," Mystery!; Emmy Award, outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or a movie, 2003, Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for TV, 2000, all for The Passion of Ayn Rand; National Board of Review Award (with others), best ensemble performance, 2001, for Last Orders; Laurence Olivier Theatre Award, best actress, 2001, for Orpheus Descending; New York Film Critics Circle Award, best supporting actress, 2001, Academy Award nomination, best actress in a supporting role, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a motion picture, Chicago Film Critics Association Award nomination, best supporting actress, Screen Actors Guild Awards, outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role and outstanding performance by the cast of a theatrical motion picture (with others), Online Film Critics Association Award nomination, best supporting actress, National Society of Film Critics Award, best supporting actress, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, Film Award nomination, performance by an actress in a supporting role, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 2002, Empire Award nomination, best British actress, 2003, all for Gosford Park; ALFS Award, British supporting actress of the year, London Critics Circle Awards, 2002, for Last Orders and Gosford Park; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a leading role, 2002, for Dance of Death; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or a motion picture made for television, Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries, Golden Satellite Award, best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, 2003, all for Door to Door; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie, 2003, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, 2004, all for The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone; Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 2003; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or a movie, TV Award nomination, best actress, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 2004, both for Prime Suspect 6; European Film Award nomination, best actress, 2003, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a motion picture—musical or comedy, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a motion picture, comedy or musical, Empire Award nomination, best British actress, 2004, all for Calendar Girls; Laurence Olivier Theatre Award, best actress, 2004, for Mourning Becomes Electra.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Cleopatra, Anthony and Cleopatra, Old Vic Theatre, London, 1965.

Kitty, Charley's Aunt, Manchester Theatre, Manchester, England, 1967.

Nerissa, The Merchant of Venice, Manchester Theatre, 1967.

Castiza, The Revenger's Tragedy, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford–upon–Avon, England, 1967.

Diana, All's Well That Ends Well, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford–upon–Avon, 1967.

Cressida, Troilus and Cressida, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1968.

Hero, Much Ado about Nothing, Aldwych Theatre, 1968–1969.

Win–the–Fight Littlewit, Bartholomew Fair, Aldwych Theatre, 1969.

Lady Anne, Richard III, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford–upon–Avon, 1970.

Ophelia, Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford–upon–Avon, 1970.

Julia, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford–upon–Avon, 1970.

Tatyana, Enemies, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1971.

Harriet, The Man of Mode, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1971.

Title role, Miss Julie, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1971.

Elayne, The Balcony, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1971.

Isabella, Measure for Measure, Riverside Studios Theatre, London, 1974.

Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford–upon–Avon, 1974, then Aldwych Theatre, 1975.

Maggie, Teeth 'n' Smiles, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1975, then Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1976.

Nina, The Seagull, Lyric Theatre, London, 1975.

Ella, The Bed before Yesterday, Lyric Theatre, 1975.

Queen Margaret, Henry VI, Parts I, II and III, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford–upon–Avon, 1977, then Aldwych Theatre, 1978.

Title role, The Duchess of Malfi, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, England, 1980, then Mound House Theatre, London, 1981.

Grace, Faith Healer, Royal Court Theatre, 1981.

Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra, Pit Theatre, London, 1983.

Moll Cutpurse, The Roaring Girl, Barbican Theatre, London, 1983.

Marjorie, Extremities, Duchess Theatre, London, 1984.

Madame Bovary, 1987.

Angela, "Some Kind of Love Story," and dying woman, "Elegy for a Lady," in Two–Way Mirror (double–bill), Young Vic Theatre, London, 1989.

Sex Please We're Italian, 1991.

Natalya Petrovna, A Month in the Country, London, 1994, then Criterion Theatre, New York City, 1995.

Antony and Cleopatra, Royal National Theatre, London, 1998.

Collected Stories, London, 1999.

Lady Torrance, Orpheus Descending, Donmar Warehouse, London, 2000.

Alice, Dance of Death, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 2001–2002.

Mourning Becomes Electra, Lyttelton Stage, Royal National Theatre, 2003.

Also appeared as Susie Monmican, The Silver Lassie; in Woman in Mind, Los Angeles.

Film Appearances:

Herostradus, BBC, 1967.

Hermia, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1969.

Cora Ryan, Age of Consent, Columbia, 1969.

Colpo rovente, 1969.

Gosh Smith–Boyle, Savage Messiah, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1972.

Title role, Miss Julie, 1972.

Patricia Burgess, O Lucky Man!, Warner Bros., 1973.

Gertrude and Ophelia, Hamlet, Royal College of Art, 1976.

Caesonia, Caligula (also known as Caligula, My Son and Io, Caligola), Penthouse Films, 1979.

Victoria, The Long Good Friday, Embassy, 1979.

Beaty Simons, Hussy, 1979.

Joanne, The Quiz Kid, 1979.

Alice Rage, The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, Orion, 1980.

Morgana, Excalibur, Warner Bros., 1981.

Herself, A Documentary on the Making of "Gore Vidal's Caligula" (documentary), 1981.

Marcella Morton, Cal, Warner Bros., 1984.

Tanya Kirbuk, 2010 (also known as 2010: The Year We Make Contact), United Artists, 1984.

(Uncredited) Herself, 2010: The Odyssey Continues, 1984.

Galina Ivanova, White Nights, Columbia, 1985.

Freida von Richtofen Weekley, Coming Through, 1985.

Mother Fox, The Mosquito Coast, Warner Bros., 1986.

Ruth Chancellor, The Gospel According to Vic (also known as Heavenly Pursuits), Skouras, 1986.

Narrator, Invocation: Maya Deren (documentary), Arts Council of Great Britain, 1987.

Narrator, People of the Forest: The Chimps of Gombe (documentary), National Geographic Society, 1988.

Lydia Neuman, Pascali's Island (also known as L'isola di Pascali), Avenue, 1988.

Clemmie Jenkins, When the Whales Came, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1989.

Frances Penny Bethune, Bethune: The Making of a Hero (also known as The Making of a Hero: The Story of Dr. Norman Bethune and Dr. Bethune), Filmstar, 1990.

Georgina Spica, the wife, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (also known as The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and Le cuisinier, le voleur, sa femme et son amant), Miramax, 1990.

Caroline, The Comfort of Strangers (also known as Cortesie per gli ospiti), Skouras, 1990.

Lilia Herriton, Where Angels Fear to Tread, Fine Line, 1991.

The Gift, 1991.

Annie Marsh, The Hawk, Castle Hill, 1993.

Queen Charlotte, The Madness of King George (also known as The Madness of King George III and The Madness of George III), Samuel Goldwyn Co., 1994.

Queen Geruth, The Prince of Jutland (also known as Amled: Prince of Jutland, Amled, Prinsen af Jylland, and Prince of Denmark), Miramax, 1994.

Kathleen Quigley, Some Mother's Son (also known as Sons and Warriors and Somebody's Son), Castle Rock, 1996.

Stella, Critical Care, Live Entertainment, 1997.

Voice of the Queen, Prince of Egypt (animated), Dream-Works, 1998.

Herself, Sidoglio Smithee, 1998.

Title role, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Dimension Films/Miramax, 1999.

Georgina Woodhouse, Greenfingers (also known as Jailbuds), Samuel Goldwyn Films, 2000.

Doctor, The Pledge, Warner Bros., 2001.

The boss, No Such Thing, United Artists, 2001.

Amy Dodds, Last Orders (also known as Letzte Runde), Sony Pictures Classics, 2001.

Jane Wilson, Gosford Park, USA Films, 2001.

Chris, Calendar Girls, Buena Vista, 2003.

Eileen Hayes, The Clearing, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2004.

Dominique, Raising Helen, Buena Vista, 2004.

Rose, Shadowboxer, 2005.

Film Work:

Associate producer, Some Mother's Son (also known as Sons and Warriors and Somebody's Son), Castle Rock, 1996.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Valerie, Cousin Bette, PBS, 1971.

Cassandra, Oresteia (also known as The Serpent Son), 1979.

Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison, "Prime Suspect I," Mystery!, PBS, 1992.

Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison, "Prime Suspect II," Mystery!, PBS, 1993.

Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison, "Prime Suspect III," Mystery!, PBS, 1993.

Herself, Hollywood Women (documentary), 1994.

Voice of Margaret Rhonnda/Princess Evelyn Blucher, The Great War and the Shaping of the Twentieth Century (documentary), PBS, 1996.

Superintendent Jane Tennison, Prime Suspect V: Errors of Judgment (also known as Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1997.

Maggie Sheridan, Painted Lady, PBS, 1997.

Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison, Prime Suspect 6 (also known as Prime Suspect the Last Witness and ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre: Prime Suspect 6), PBS, 2003.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Stella MacKenzie, Kiss Kiss, Kill Kill (also known as A Coffin for the Bride and Thriller: Coffin for the Bride), ABC, 1974.

Claretta Petacci, Caesar and Claretta (also known as Private Affairs: Caesar and Claretta), 1975.

The Philanthropist, 1975.

Stella, The Collection (also known as Laurence Olivier Presents: The Collection), 1976.

Behind the Scene, 1978.

Rosalind, As You Like It (also known as The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: As You Like It), 1978.

Stewardess May Sloan, S.O.S. Titanic, ABC, 1979.

Titania, A Midsummer Night's Dream (also known as The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream), 1981.

Title role, Mrs. Reinhardt, 1981.

Imogen, Cymbeline (also known as The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: Cymbeline), 1982.

Anna, Red King, White Night, HBO, 1989.

Superintendent Jane Tennison, Prime Suspect: The Lost Child (also known as Prime Suspect IV and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1995.

Superintendent Jane Tennison, Prime Suspect: Inner Circles (also known as Prime Suspect IV and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1995.

Superintendent Jane Tennison, Prime Suspect: The Scent of Darkness (also known as Prime Suspect IV and Mobil Masterpiece Theatre), PBS, 1995.

Chase Phillips (title role), Losing Chase, Showtime, 1996.

Title role, The Passion of Ayn Rand, Showtime, 1999.

Distinguished woman, "Happy Birthday," On the Edge, Showtime, 2001.

Mrs. Porter, Door to Door, TNT, 2002.

Karen Stone, The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (also known as Tennessee Williams' The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone), Showtime, 2003.

Voice of Macheeba, Pride, Arts and Entertainment, 2004.

Also appeared in After the Party; The Serpent Son; Jackanory.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Annabelle Garrison, Georgetown, CBS, 2002.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Herself, An Audience with Mel Brooks (documentary), 1983.

The Siskel and Ebert Special, CBS, 1990.

D–Day Remembered: A Musical Tribute from the QE2, PBS, 1994.

Inside the Academy Awards, TNT, 1995.

Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond, UPN, 1996.

The 19th Annual CableACE Awards, 1997.

The 49th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1997.

(In archive footage) Jane Tennison, The 100 Greatest TV Characters, Channel 4, 2001.

Herself, The Making of "Gosford Park" (documentary), BBC, 2001.

Martha Stewart's Home for the Holidays, CBS, 2001.

The 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 2003.

(In archive footage) Celebrity Naked Ambition (documentary), Channel 5, 2003.

(In archive footage) Detective Chief Inspector Jan Tennison, Total Cops, 2003.

Narrator, Cary Grant: A Class Apart (documentary), TCM, 2004.

Presenter, The 58th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Beatrice–Joanna, "The Changeling," Play of the Month, 1974.

Orinthia, "The Applecart," Play of the Month, 1975.

Babbie, "The Little Minister," Play of the Month, 1975.

Mrs. Pinchwife, "The Country Wife," Play of the Month, 1977.

Angela, "Blue Remembered Hills," Play for Today, 1979.

Celia, "Soft Targets," Play for Today, 1982.

Betty, "Dead Woman's Shoes," The Twilight Zone, 1985.

Princess Emilia, "The Little Mermaid," Faerie Tale Theatre, Showtime, 1987.

Alma Rattenbury, "Cause Celebre," Mystery!, PBS, 1988.

"Love Crimes," The Hidden Room, 1993.

Herself, Clive Anderson Talks Back, 1993.

Voice of herself, "How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World," Reading Rainbow, 1995.

Herself, "Baywatch," French and Saunders, 1996.

TFI Friday, 1996.

Professor Horen, "Culture," Tracey Takes On …, 1998.

"Witless Silence," French and Saunders, BBC, 1999.

Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 1999.

Herself, "Robert Altman in England," Omnibus, BBC, 2002.

The View, ABC, 2002, 2003, 2004.

Herself, Parkinson, BBC, 2003.

Herself, The Frank Skinner Show, ITV, 2003.

Herself, Go' morgen Danmark, 2004.

Voice of Babette the caller, "Coots and Ladders," Frasier, NBC, 2004.

Television Associate Producer; Miniseries:

Painted Lady, 1997.

Television Director; Movies:

"Happy Birthday," On the Edge, Showtime, 2001.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, 4th edition, St. James Press, 2000.

Rennert, Amy, ed., Helen Mirren: Prime Suspect—A Celebration, 1995.

Periodicals:

Entertainment Weekly, April 23, 2004, p. 70.

Harper's Bazaar, February, 1993, p. 66.

Maclean's, January 20, 1997, p. 70.

New Orleans Magazine, April, 1994, p. 83.

People Weekly, November 3, 1980, p. 99; February 15, 1993, p. 14; November 3, 1997, p. 153; January 19, 1998, p. 102.

US, May, 1996, p. 76.

U.S. News & World Report, April 19, 2004, p. 18.

Variety, August 29, 1984, p. 6.