Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren (born Ilyena Lydia Mironoff) is an Oscar-winning actress known for her work in film, television and theater. Miren was born in London, England, where she attended St Bernard’s High School for Girls and later studied acting at the National Youth Theatre, where she was cast as Cleopatra at age 20, launching her stage career.

Mirren rose to fame in the ‘70s and ’80s through her work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and roles in films like The Long Good Friday (1980) and Excalibur (1981). She gained wider recognition for her role as Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison in the ITV series Prime Suspect, which aired from 1991 to 2006. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Queen (2006) and also earned acclaim for roles in The Madness of King George (1994), Gosford Park (2001), The Last Station (2009) and Trumbo (2015). She has also starred in commercial hits like RED (2010), Hitchcock (2012), The Fate of the Furious (2017) and Barbie (2023).

Mirren has won an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, five Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globes. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2003 for services to drama.

Mirren has been in a relationship with director Taylor Hackford since 1986, and the couple wed in 1997.