Contents
Helen Mirren
Portraying powerful and complicated women in Prime Suspect and The Queen.
Prime Suspect · The Queen
- Born
- 26 July 1945
- Birthplace
- London, England, United Kingdom
More people
Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren is a British actor whose career spans Shakespeare, television crime drama and international film.
Early life
Family background
Born Helen Mironoff to an English mother and a father of Russian ancestry.
Youth theatre
Joined the National Youth Theatre before professional stage work.
Career
- 1960s–1970s
Classical theatre
Built her reputation with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
- 1991–2006
Prime Suspect
Played detective Jane Tennison across the television series.
- 2006–2007
The Queen
Won an Oscar for portraying Elizabeth II.
Selected work
Prime Suspect
A senior detective faces difficult investigations and institutional sexism.
The Queen
Portrayed the monarch after Diana’s death.
The Audience
Returned to Elizabeth II on stage.
Beyond acting
Family
Married director Taylor Hackford in 1997.
Public voice
Has discussed ageism and the range of roles available to women.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Academy Awards: 2007 ceremony ↗Photo: Martin Kraft. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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