A biography for Helen Mirrenhasn’t been written yet.
“The hardest period in life is one’s twenties. It’s a shame because you’re your most gorgeous, and you’re physically in peak condition. But it’s actually when you’re most insecure and full of self-doubt. When you don’t know what’s going to happen, it’s frightening.”
“I'm not a communist, of course. But I do think that everything is down to economics. Capitalism doesn't change.”
“At the time of the Silver Jubilee, I was a grumpy anti-monarchist. I didn't celebrate and was appalled by the celebrations. In my idiocy, I missed out! I feel completely differently now compared with that time.”
“I love photography, and I love the art of photography.”
“I'll tell you what me scares me is plastic. Plastic bags and plastic bottles and these things. Why does my water have to be in a bloody plastic bottle? The landfill and the ocean. And I don't know, I'm just terrified with the proliferation of plastic.”
“I do think it's well over-time to have a female Doctor Who. I think a gay, black female Doctor Who would be the best of all.”
“When you're young, you wonder what all these old people are droning on about, trying to impart their wisdom. It's not relevant to you because being young is such a specific thing. Thank God for that. Thank God for the young people who go out and demonstrate against rampant capitalism or whatever.”
“I'm terrified of learning lines, and I've always been terrified that I won't learn them.”
“We're all idiots when we're young. We don't think we are, but we are. So we should be.”
“I learned quite early on in life that we are all two people. And one of those people none of us will ever know.”
“Wherever I am in the world, if I get free time when I'm filming I always hire a car, take to the road, drive for miles and explore.”
“There's nothing sexy about doing a nude scene. It's rather uncomfortable. I like dressing up rather than dressing down.”
“Gardening is learning, learning, learning. That's the fun of them. You're always learning.”
“Any role that's proactive is a great role, and action roles are by their very nature proactive. You get to do stuff. I hate sitting in a corner - I'd much prefer an action role in a popcorn movie rather than pining in a corner not doing anything.”
“I was never a left-winger, actually. I was a pretend left-winger because it was more interesting than being a right-winger.”
“I don't think it's good to try and change anyone. The trick and the mystery - of relationships and life in general - is to learn to live with the bits you don't like.”