In an exclusive chat, Mirren gets frank with Vanity Fair about the controversy around her casting, the experience of using heavy prosthetics for the first time, and the decision to portray a divisive historical subject.
For an actor of her stature—with an Oscar, a Tony, and four Emmys to her name—it’s not easy to discover uncharted territory, let alone decide to take the plunge and explore the thing. But a big leap had long loomed. For decades, the 78-year-old Mirren avoided extreme physical transformations for the screen, those uncanny makeup jobs and mimicry approaches that define many a prestige biopic. “You’re too busy looking, going, ‘Oh, my God, that’s brilliant.
The resulting performance, a tough but vulnerable portrayal of a leader who reluctantly guides her country into the Yom Kippur War of 1973, finds Mirren operating in a stirring new key. The actor is basically unrecognizable, from the voice to the face to the walk, yet she endows Golda with a dedicated pragmatism familiar to her most beloved roles. This is very much a Helen Mirren character, even if she doesn’t look like one.
Golda’s oversight in Israel’s early struggles in the Yom Kippur War, as well as her dismissive comments about Palestinian people , rendered her a divisive figure for the biopic treatment. Mirren felt no hesitation at all in taking on the part, however. The film depicts a committed, strong-willed PM unafraid of making difficult and defining decisions; Mirren embraced that nuanced character study. “I didn’t see Golda as a controversial character,” Mirren says.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
33 Really Really Really Really Random Celebrity FriendshipsI just want to know what Helen Mirren and Vin Diesel talk about.
Read more »
Ford Averts Second Strike, Secures New Labor Contract in CanadaFord averts a second strike, as it confronts a continuing walkout with the UAW.
Read more »
Tensions in UAW Talks Flare as Ford Averts Strike in CanadaFord averts a second strike, as it confronts a continuing walkout with the UAW.
Read more »
| Jennifer Wexton confronts a grave diagnosis with typical good graceThe Virginia Democrat’s decision not to run again is Congress’s loss.
Read more »