Since RED 2 is as much an action film as it is a comedy, we wondered how much preparation had to go into Helen’s character Victoria:
Helen Mirren: Most of the “prep” is learning how to use the equipment, the guns and such, because you couldn’t look like you didn’t know what you were doing there. Certainly I’ve never handled guns, so I did have to learn that.
Every role brings different challenges, actually, and the challenge in doing something like RED, and it’s why someone like Bruce [Willis] is so brilliant in these movies, is that there’s a great self discipline, and Mary-Louise Parker is great at this too, but at the same time there’s also an ease. There’s a relaxation. There’s an ability to think on the move and improvise. That’s where the real work on a movie like this is. It’s not actually in the preparation, or if it is it’s in prepping yourself to realize that you’ve got to be free. That’s actually very difficult on the film set. It’s the hardest thing because the whole set-up is not free. It’s so technical; it’s so controlled. To get on that set and be free is really a great skill, and Bruce has it to the max. I would always watch Bruce and take my lead from him.
During our screening, whenever Victoria appeared, the crowd erupted with joy. Her repertoire with the audience was fantastic, so someone asked Helen if she’d seen the film yet with a full audience, and if she was aware her character was so loved:
Helen Mirren: Oh really! That’s great to know, I haven’t watched it with an audience yet. They think it’s The Queen, I think! They probably just love the idea of that.
In RED 2, Bruce Willis’ character is attempting to lead a normal life. Helen was asked if she thinks Victoria would ever have the capacity to walk away from the action and try to live her own normal life, and if she could do the same sort of thing walking away from acting. This was Helen’s answer:
Helen Mirren: Oh I love Costco! Well, I love Home Depot – that’s my place. They know me by name at Home Depot. I do love homely, house-y stuff, however, I’ve never really been challenged. You have your dream of what it’s going to be like being retired. My husband and I have been building this house in Italy that’s sort of our retirement dream, but actually, in reality, whether we ever actually do that, I don’t know. It’s hard to let go of our business. It’s hard to let go of the creativity involved. It’s also hard to let go of the attention that you get. You don’t think that you’re addicted or in love with that attention, you think it doesn’t mean anything to you, until suddenly you don’t get it. “Why isn’t everyone asking me questions! Why doesn’t everyone love me! What’s going on!” But maybe in the end it’ll be lovely to do that.
It’s funny how people in your business in particular think that if people aren’t in the public eye, they must be somehow dead. Not physically dead, but it’s like whatever happened to them? Well, actually, they’re really living in a house in the country with their family – and they couldn’t be happier. They’re living life. But there is a slight feeling around the media that if someone isn’t actually in the media, that somehow you don’t exist. It’s no wonder that people are so obsessed with putting themselves up on Facebook and stuff like that. It’s to sort of say “I exist because I’m in some kind of media.” I don’t particularly agree with that. I think existing as a human being outside of the attention of other people is probably the greatest kind of human existence you can actually have.
Moving on from her theories about existence, Helen was asked if she prefers the type of comedic acting she gets to do with Victoria, or if she enjoys her more dramatic roles more:
Helen Mirren: I feel that it’s lovely to mix it up, honestly. When you’ve done something heavy and serious, it’s lovely to go and do something that is just going to be fun. I mean, no movies are just fun, because they are incredibly hard work. As much as RED isn’t as heavy as something like that Phil Spector piece, you’re still full of angst about if you’re getting it right, if you’re hitting the right tone, are you being inventive enough, and are you holding your own amongst these brilliant performers? My gosh, you walk on the set and here’s John Malkovich, Anthony Hopkins, Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker – it’s intimidating. Will I be able to hold my own against these people? I just don’t know! Every film has a challenge, one way or another.
Thanks so much to Helen Mirren for taking the time for this press conference, and be sure to catch RED 2 when it hits theaters July 19th!
