Helen Mirren on screen and stage
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Dame Helen Mirren is an English actor known for her prolific career in film, television, and on stage taking roles both dramatic and comedic. She has received several honors including an Academy Award, four BAFTA Awards, five Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Tony Award.

Mirren started her career on stage playing Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra in a 1965 production with the National Youth Theatre at The Old Vic. She acted with both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theater acting in numerous productions of William Shakespeare's work including The Merchant of Venice (1967), Much Ado About Nothing (1968), Richard III (1970), Hamlet (1970), and Macbeth (1974). She made her Broadway debut acting in the revival of the Ivan Turgenev play A Month in the Country (1995). She portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the Peter Morgan play The Audience both on Broadway and on the West End which earned her the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress.
She made her film debut in the British experimental film Herostratus (1967). She took early roles in Caligula (1979), Excalibur (1983) and The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989). She received the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the drama The Queen (2006). She was Oscar-nominated playing Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George (1994), a maid in Gosford Park (2001), and Sofya Tolstoy in The Last Station (2009). During this time she acted in numerous films across genres in films such as Calendar Girls (2003), State of Play (2009), The Tempest (2010), The Debt (2010), Woman in Gold (2015), Eye in the Sky (2015), Trumbo (2015), The Leisure Seeker (2017), and Golda (2023).
On television, she earned acclaim and notoriety for her role as DCI Jane Tennion in the police procedural Prime Suspect (1991–2006), where she earned three BAFTA Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. She also earned Emmy Awards for her roles as Ayn Rand in the Showtime television film The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999) and Queen Elizabeth I in the HBO miniseries Elizabeth I (2005) She also acted in the TNT film Door to Door (2002), the HBO movie Phil Spector (2013), the HBO miniseries Catherine the Great (2019), and the Paramount+ Western series 1923 (2022).
Film
† | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1966 | Press for Time | Penelope Squires | Uncredited |
1967 | Herostratus | Advert Woman | |
1968 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Hermia | |
1969 | Age of Consent | Cora Ryan | |
1970 | Red Hot Shot | Unknown | |
1972 | Savage Messiah | Gosh Boyle | |
Miss Julie | Miss Julie | ||
1973 | O Lucky Man! | Patricia | |
1976 | Hamlet | Ophelia/Gertrude | |
1979 | Caligula | Caesonia | |
S.O.S. Titanic | Stewardess May Sloan | ||
1980 | Hussy | Beaty | |
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu | Alice Rage | ||
The Long Good Friday | Victoria | ||
1981 | Excalibur | Morgana | |
1984 | Cal | Marcella | |
2010 | Tanya Kirbuk | ||
1985 | Heavenly Pursuits | Ruth Chancellor | |
Coming Through | Frieda von Richthofen Weekley | ||
White Nights | Galina Ivanova | ||
1986 | The Mosquito Coast | Mother Fox | |
1988 | Pascali's Island | Lydia Neuman | |
1989 | When the Whales Came | Clemmie Jenkins | |
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover | Georgina Spica | ||
1990 | Bethune: The Making of a Hero | Frances Penny Bethune | |
A Story is Not Final II: The Second Chapter | Xanyides | ||
The Comfort of Strangers | Caroline | ||
1991 | Where Angels Fear to Tread | Lilia Herriton | |
1993 | The Hawk | Annie Marsh | |
Royal Deceit | Geruth | ||
1994 | The Madness of King George | Queen Charlotte | |
Children of God | The Narrator (voice) | ||
1995 | The Snow Queen | Snow Queen (voice) | [1] |
1996 | Some Mother's Son | Kathleen Quigley | Also associate producer |
1997 | Critical Care | Stella | |
1998 | Sidoglio Smithee | Herself | |
The Prince of Egypt | Queen Tuya (voice) | [1] | |
1999 | Teaching Mrs. Tingle | Mrs. Eve Tingle | |
2000 | Greenfingers | Georgina Woodhouse | |
2001 | The Pledge | Doctor | |
No Such Thing | The Boss | ||
Happy Birthday | Distinguished Woman | Also director | |
Last Orders | Amy | ||
Gosford Park | Mrs. Wilson | ||
2003 | Calendar Girls | Chris Harper | |
2004 | The Clearing | Eileen Hayes | |
Raising Helen | Dominique | ||
2005 | The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | Deep Thought (voice) | [1] |
Shadowboxer | Rose | ||
2006 | The Queen | Queen Elizabeth II | |
2007 | National Treasure: Book of Secrets | Emily Appleton | |
2008 | Inkheart | Elinor Loredan | |
2009 | State of Play | Cameron Lynne | |
The Last Station | Sofya Tolstoy | ||
2010 | Love Ranch | Grace Bontempo | |
The Tempest | Prospera | ||
Brighton Rock | Ida | ||
RED | Victoria Winslow | ||
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Nyra (voice) | [1] | |
The Debt | Rachel Singer | ||
2011 | Arthur | Lillian Hobson | |
2012 | The Door | Emerenc | |
Hitchcock | Alma Reville | ||
2013 | Monsters University | Dean Hardscrabble (voice) | [1] |
RED 2 | Victoria Winslow | ||
2014 | The Hundred-Foot Journey | Madame Mallory | [2] |
2015 | Woman in Gold | Maria Altmann | [3] |
Unity | Narrator (voice) | ||
Eye in the Sky | Colonel Katherine Powell | [4] | |
Trumbo | Hedda Hopper | [5] | |
2016 | Collateral Beauty | Brigitte | [6] |
2017 | Cries from Syria | Narrator (voice) | |
The Fate of the Furious | Magdalene "Queenie" Shaw | Uncredited[7] | |
The Leisure Seeker | Ella Spencer | [8] | |
2018 | Winchester | Sarah Winchester | [9] |
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms | Mother Ginger | [10] | |
2019 | Berlin, I Love You | Margaret | [11] |
Anna | Olga | [12] | |
Hobbs & Shaw | Magdalene "Queenie" Shaw | [13] | |
The Good Liar | Betty McLeish | [14] | |
#AnneFrank. Parallel Stories | Narrator (voice) | [15] | |
2020 | The One and Only Ivan | Snickers (voice) | [16] |
The Duke | Dorothy Bunton | [17] | |
2021 | F9 | Magdalene "Queenie" Shaw | [18] |
2023 | Golda | Golda Meir | [19] |
Shazam! Fury of the Gods | Hespera | [20] | |
Fast X | Magdalene "Queenie" Shaw | [21] | |
Barbie | Narrator | [22] | |
2024 | White Bird | Grandmère / Sara | [23] |
2025 | The Thursday Murder Club † | Elizabeth Best | Post-production[24] |
TBA | Switzerland † | Patricia Highsmith | Filming[25] |
Goodbye June † | TBA |
Television
Summarize
Perspective
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1974 | Thriller | Stella McKenzie/Angela Ludlow | Episode: "A Coffin for the Bride" |
1974-1978 | BBC Play of the Month | Various | 4 episodes |
1975 | Caesar and Claretta | Claretta Petacci | TV film |
1978,
1982 |
BBC Television Shakespeare | Rosalind/Imogen | Episodes: As You Like It, Cymbeline |
1979 | ITV Playhouse | Joanne | Episode: "The Quiz Kid" |
S.O.S. Titanic | Mary Sloan | TV film | |
1985 | The Twilight Zone | Maddie Duncan | Episode: "Dead Woman's Shoes" |
1987 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Princess Amelia | Episode: "The Little Mermaid" |
Cause Célèbre | Alma Rattenbury | TV film | |
1988 | Coming Through | Frieda von Richtofen Weekley | |
1989 | Red King, White Knight | Anna | |
1991–2006 | Prime Suspect | Jane Tennison | 15 episodes |
1993 | The Hidden Room | Episode: "Love Crimes" | |
1996 | Losing Chase | Chase Phillips | TV film |
1997 | Painted Lady | Maggie Sheridan | Miniseries |
1998 | Tracey Takes On... | Professor Horen | Episode: "Culture" |
1999 | The Passion of Ayn Rand | Ayn Rand | TV film |
2002 | Door to Door | Mrs. Porter | |
Georgetown | Annabelle Garrison | ||
2003 | The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone | Karen Stone | |
2004 | Frasier | Babette (voice) | Episode: "Coots and Ladders"[1] |
Pride | Macheeba | Voice TV film | |
2005 | Third Watch | Annie Foster | Episode: "Revelations" |
Elizabeth I | Queen Elizabeth I | Miniseries, 2 episodes | |
2010 | Saturday Night Live | Herself | Episode: "Bryan Cranston/Kanye West" |
2011 | Saturday Night Live | Herself (host) | Episode: "Helen Mirren/Foo Fighters" |
2012 | Glee | Becky's Inner Voice | Uncredited voice role; 2 episodes |
2013 | Phil Spector | Linda Kenney Baden | TV film |
2015–present | Documentary Now! | Herself (host) | 26 episodes |
2017 | World War One Remembered: Passchendaele | Herself (host) | Miniseries |
2019 | Catherine the Great | Catherine the Great | Miniseries, 4 episodes and also executive producer |
2020 | Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine | Billy Bush | Television special |
2021 | Solos | Peg | Episode: "Peg"[26] |
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses | Herself (host) | Television special | |
When Nature Calls with Helen Mirren | Narrator (voice) | 7 episodes[27] | |
2022 | Human Resources | Shame Wizard Rita St. Swithens (voice) | Episode: "Bad Mummies" |
2022–2025 | 1923 | Cara Dutton | Main cast[28] |
2025 | MobLand | Maeve Harrigan |
Music videos
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | "Count Me Out" | (Kendrick's Therapist) |
Theatre
- Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra, National Youth Theatre, The Old Vic, London, 1965
- Cathleen, Long Day's Journey into Night, Century Theatre, Manchester, 1965
- Kitty, Charley's Aunt, Century Theatre, Manchester, 1967
- Nerissa, The Merchant of Venice, Century Theatre, Manchester, 1967
- Castiza, The Revenger's Tragedy, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon, 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, Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych Theatre, 1968–1969
- Win-the-Fight Littlewit, Bartholomew Fair, Royal Shakespeare Company, 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, 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, 1980, then The Roundhouse, 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
- Title role, Madame Bovary, Watford Palace Theatre, 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
- Rosetta Borsi, Sex Please, We're Italian, Young Vic Theatre, 1991
- Natalya Petrovna, A Month in the Country, Albery Theatre, London, 1994, then Criterion Theatre, New York City, 1995
- Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra, Royal National Theatre, London, 1998
- Collected Stories, Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, 1999
- Lady Torrance, Orpheus Descending, Donmar Warehouse, London, 2000
- Alice, The Dance of Death, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 2001
- Christine Mannon, Mourning Becomes Electra, Royal National Theatre, 2003
- Title role, Phèdre, Royal National Theatre, 2009
- Elizabeth II, The Audience, Gielgud Theatre, London, 2013
- Elizabeth II, The Audience, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, New York City, 2015
See also
References
External links
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