The world knows Dame Helen Mirren for her iconic portrayals of strong and sophisticated women, from her Academy Award-winning turn as Queen Elizabeth II in “The Queen” to her badass performance as assassin Victoria in “Red.” But long before she was a respected veteran of stage and screen, the actress took on daring roles that shocked audiences with their nudity and eroticism. For years, she’s kept her thoughts on the infamous scene under wraps. Now, in a bold and candid revelation, Helen Mirren breaks her silence on the nude scene that launched her career and solidified her reputation as a fearless actress. Join FactsVerse as we loop you in on the details of the story.
First nude scene
Dame Helen Mirren, the well-known British actress, has appeared nude in a number of films throughout her career. One of her earlier films, the Australian hit “Age of Consent,” featured the actress stripping off for several scenes. The film was shot near the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 1969, and she played the role of Cora, a young model hired by an artist. In the film, her character vied for the attention of a painter played by James Mason, and the two eventually engaged in a night of passion. Throughout the film, Dame Helen’s character poses naked for the artist, who paints her in various poses. At the time of filming “Age of Consent,” she was in her early 20s and performed several nude scenes.
In an interview with The Australian Woman’s Weekly in 2018, Dame Helen spoke of her experiences while filming in Australia, noting that it was a very different environment from what it is today. For instance, she noted that women were not allowed in pubs during that time. Despite her nudity in the film, Dame Helen has never been particularly keen on doing nude scenes, having started doing them at the beginning of her film career. While she has admitted that she felt insecure at times, she has also confessed about always being scared and that being one of the only ones naked on a film set was not fun.
The film was initially released with an X rating due to its explicit content. But it was later released with an A-rating after some of the nude scenes were removed or cut short, and some suggestive dialogue was removed altogether. Despite the criticism, Dame Helen has always been good-natured about her nude scenes and the attention they bring.
Quitting nude scenes
Helen Mirren, the British actress known for her on-screen nudity and topless scenes, revealed in a September interview with Alan Cumming on the CBS show “Remember That Time?” that she is retiring her breasts. The then 70-year-old actress had appeared nude or topless in films and other venues, going back to 1969’s “Age of Consent” and as recently as a 2010 photo shoot for New York magazine. However, Mirren stated that those days were over and that her pleasure pillows were strictly for her husband now. Despite her past on-screen nudity, Mirren mentioned that it wasn’t something she was keen on; it just didn’t seem to be a big deal. She never wanted to do it but thought it was necessary for the era. Nevertheless, Mirren has always been good-natured about the response, even letting “Saturday Night Live” send up her “legendary boobs” in a skit called “Helen Mirren’s Magical Bosom,” which she found incredibly flattering.
Mirren’s decision to retire her breasts comes after a long and illustrious career that has earned her numerous awards and accolades. She is one of the few actors who have achieved the coveted Triple Crown of Acting both in the United Kingdom and in the United States, winning an Oscar, a Tony, an Olivier Award, four Emmys, and three BAFTAs, among others. She is best known for playing Queen Elizabeth II in both film and stage versions of The Queen and The Audience, as well as portraying other strong female characters such as DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect and Catherine the Great in a miniseries of the same name. She has also ventured into more comedic roles, such as Victoria Winslow in RED and Hespera in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, where she plays a villainous goddess alongside Lucy Liu.
Regret on nude scenes and fighting tags and stereotypes
Helen Mirren is one of the most acclaimed and versatile actors of our time. She has played queens and detectives, witches and spies, Shakespearean heroines, and modern icons. But despite her impressive achievements and accolades, she has always resisted being labeled as sexy or beautiful. In fact, she finds these words annoying and despises them. She firmly believes that she is neither beautiful nor sexy, and anyone who describes her in such a way will hear her scream.
Helen Mirren has spent most of her career feeling embarrassed and awkward about every intimate romantic scene she has had to do. However, she pushed herself to do them because acting is all about challenging and liberating oneself. She has always aspired to be a good actor, but the tag of being sexy has made her uncomfortable. She added that being objectified and patronized has been an added factor, which makes her feel awkward.
In her 20s and 30s, Helen Mirren lived like a hippy, making art house films in Europe and appearing regularly on the West End stage. She was known for her bold choices and the ability to push boundaries. She was also open about her lifestyle, admitting to drinking and taking drugs. However, she stopped taking cocaine in the 1980s after discovering that Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie was profiting from it in South America.
In a recent interview, Dame Helen Mirren confessed that she had been relieved to leave her nude scenes behind her. However, she has expressed that she regrets all her on-screen disrobings over the years except for a particular one. She revealed that she had no problem baring all in the 1979 erotic historical drama “Caligula.” The controversial film was directed by Tinto Brass and produced by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione. It starred Malcolm McDowell and Peter O’Toole and has since gained a cult following despite being critically panned upon its release. According to People magazine, when Helen Mirren was asked about her decision to appear nude in Caligula, she stated that everyone was nude in the movie, and it felt like attending a nudist camp every day. She added that it was embarrassing to wear clothes on the set.
The “Caligula” star later revealed in a recent interview that she was not bothered by nudity on screen when she was young. She recalled that she had no problem with exposing her breasts when she was first offered the role. She also said that she hadn’t seen what the fuss was about, explaining that it was just the times and that there was nothing to get worked up over.
At 74 years of age, Helen Mirren is still breaking stereotypes and fighting against ageism. She is a firm believer that people should be judged on their achievements and not their age or appearance. Despite her misgivings about being seen as sexy or beautiful, Helen Mirren is one of the most iconic actresses of her generation. Helen Mirren is an inspiration to women all over the world and a true testament to the power of women in the film industry.
Speaking on past Relationships and marriage life
Mirren spoke to AARP The Magazine in an exclusive interview which provided a glimpse into her personal life, including her past relationships and love for her husband.
In the interview, she discussed her past relationship with Liam Neeson, who she dated between 1980 and 1985. Despite the relationship ending decades ago, Mirren still has a deep affection for Neeson, describing him as an amazing guy whom she loves deeply to this day. Mirren also revealed that she used to make shirts for her boyfriends, including Neeson, as well as her director husband, Taylor Hackford.
In the same interview, Mirren explained that while she and Neeson had a strong love for each other, their relationship was not meant to last. They did, however, live together for four years, which Neeson revealed during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in 2018. In a recent interview, ET Canada’s Morgan Hoffman asked Neeson about Mirren’s remarks, including her claim that she loves him deeply. Neeson jokingly responded, “She got the check then.” However, he went on to say that Mirren is an amazing woman and actress, and he feels lucky to have shared a few years with her. Neeson also shared how he knew that Mirren was into him, saying that he caught her imitating his walk behind his back. Their relationship might have ended a long time ago, but it’s clear that the two still hold each other in high regard.
After parting ways with Neeson, Mirren found love with Taylor, and since then, the pair has gone on to become one of Hollywood’s most enduring couples. They have been married for 25 years but have been together for 36 years. They first met on the set of “White Nights,” a Cold War ballet movie that Hackford directed and Mirren starred in. They tied the knot at a Scottish castle on New Year’s Eve in 1997. Mirren has said that the secret to their marriage is spending time apart and being independent.
In an interview with PEOPLE last year, the actress expressed her enjoyment of the time she spent with her husband during the pandemic. After working consistently since the age of 20, Helen Mirren revealed that the six months she spent not working due to COVID-19 restrictions were the first of her life. Despite acknowledging the difficulties many faced during the pandemic, Mirren noted that the experience allowed her to spend more time with her husband and enjoy meals together, something she had never had the opportunity to do before without the distraction of work. While having no children of her own, Mirren is a stepmother to Hackford’s two kids from prior marriages.
There you have it. It’s now time to hear from you. Tell us about your favorite movie or scene starring Helen Mirren.
