We’ve seen many Hollywood actors hanging up their hats when it comes to action-oriented roles once they cross into their 50s. However, Oscar-winner Helen Mirren flipped this tradition on its head when she started adding action roles to her resume in the latter half of her 60s with roles in The Debt, the RED films, and Fast & Furious.
Even now at the age of 76, the actress is continuing her recent hot streak. She made her third appearance as The Fast Saga‘s Queenie Shaw last summer, and she’ll make her DCEU debut in the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods as the villainous Hespera, daughter of God Atlas, in June 2023.
Recently, Helen Mirren sat down for a chat with The Hollywood Reporter and shared what it is about action movies that appeal to her. While she finds that they’re not much different from other genres, she’s enamored by the added special effects and stunts that truly amp up the value of such films.
“The periphery is different, you know, the number of trailers or the sets or the amount of time you’ve got to shoot a scene. But, fundamentally, it’s exactly the same thing. But I love the special effects world. And the stunt world. I really believe stuntpeople should be nominated for Oscars. They’ve become such an intrinsic part of filmmaking now. You look at these big action movies, and it’s 75% stunts, really.”
She further added that she loves watching and engaging with “the art, the craftsmanship and the expertise of these people.” As for the special effects, she is fascinated by the digital world and finds it “extraordinary.” What makes the experience of being a part of an action movie even more exciting is the fact the technology being employed keeps progressively changing and advancing with time.
Apart from debuting as a DC villain, Helen Mirren is will also be seen as former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in the upcoming biopic Golda, set during the Yom Kippur War. Anyone missing her action roles will soon see the actress return as Queenie in Fast & Furious 10 and 11, with the back-to-back shoot kicking off imminently.
