In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures
Helen Mirren, born Helen Mironov of Russian-English parentage, is one ofthe best-known and most-respected actresses in Britain and America. In a careerthat spans stage, screen and television, she has become renowned for tacklingchallenging roles and has won many awards for her powerful and versatileperformances.She began her career with the National Youth Theatre in 1965 in a performancethat resulted in her discovery. Two years later she was invited to join theRoyal Shakespeare Company and starred in a number of highly regardedproductions. In 1972 she joined renowned director Peter Brook's Theatre Companyand toured the world.Her film career began in the late 1960s with Michael Powell'sAge ofConsent, but her breakthrough role was in John Mackenzie'sThe Long GoodFriday. Her performance saw critics hailing a major new screen star. Sheearned her first Academy Award nomination for her performance inThe Madnessof King Georgeand her second for her role inGosford Park. She wasnominated for a Golden Globe forCalendar Girls. Her most recent andcelebrated role was as Elizabeth II inThe Queen, for which she won aGolden Globe, a BAFTA and an Academy Award as Best Actress.In the early 1990s, Helen starred in the Emmy and BAFTA award-winning televisionseriesPrime Suspect, in which she starred as Detective Chief InspectorJane Tennison. The finalPrime Suspectwas released in 2006, bringingthis iconic role to its conclusion, and she was nominated for a Golden Globe forBest Actress. Her television roles have won her a string of awards, mostrecently in 2006, for her performance as Elizabeth I, for which she won a GoldenGlobe and an Emmy for Best Actress.Helen Mirren is married to the American film director Taylor Hackford. Shebecame a Dame of the British Empire in 2003.