Helen Mirren inGolda(L) and at the movie’s premiere in Berlin on Feb. 20, 2023.Photo:Bleecker Street Media /Courtesy Everett Collection; Tristar Media/WireImageHelen Mirrenis addressing the controversy surrounding her casting as real-lifeformer Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, despite not being Jewish like Meir.Speaking withRadio Timesmagazine, the 78-year-old actress defended herself against “the whole issue of casting” that has “exploded out of the water fairly recently,” over her taking on the role for the new filmGolda.“I did tell [director Guy Nattiv] that I’m not Jewish, in case he thought I was,” said Mirren, whose makeup transformation in the film renders her unrecognizable.But Nattiv — who is Jewish and from Israel, and whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors, according toVariety— didn’t have a problem with it, according to Mirren.“I said, ‘If that’s an issue, I’ll step away, no problem,’ " theOscarwinner recalled. “But he said, ‘No, it’s not an issue. I want you to play Golda.’ And off we went.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Helen Mirren attends a special screening ofGoldaon Sept. 28, 2023, in London.Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImageIt’s not the first time Mirren hascommented on the criticismthat came with portraying Meir. As she told theDaily Mailin February 2022, “It was certainly a question that I had before I accepted the role.“Her statement was a response to Dame Maureen Lipman’sargument that “ethnicity should be prioritized"in roles like this.“I do believe it is a discussion that has to be had –it’s utterly legitimate,” Mirren said in response, before posing the question, “You know, if someone who’s not Jewish can’t play Jewish, does someone who’s Jewish play someone who’s not Jewish?““There’s a lot of terrible unfairness in my profession,” the actress added.In the film, Mirren portrays Meir, who died in 1978 at age 80, as she led the country through 1973’s Yom Kippur War, in which Egypt, Syria and a number of other Middle Eastern countries launched a surprise attack on Israel.Helen Mirren inGolda(2023).Jasper Wolf/Bleecker Street MediaMirren’s physical transformation for the part was a new experience for the actress, who previously toldDuJourmagazine the film’s makeup department “went through various manifestations” to get her look right.“Eventually we got to a point where we felt it was sufficient but hopefully not too much. Withthat sort of makeup, you’re wanderinginto dangerous territory,” she said. “Obviously, it’s there and you can’t say it’s not there. But on the other hand, the audience knows I’m not an Irish woman living in Montana.”Mirren added that she felt closely entwined with Meir during filming, noting she would think about “that acting thing: Am I becoming her or is she becoming me?"“I’ve never done anything like that before. It was an adventure,” the actress continued. “I got so used to being that person in the daytime that when the makeup all came off and I saw myself as I am, I’d forgotten that was what I looked like.”
Helen Mirren inGolda(L) and at the movie’s premiere in Berlin on Feb. 20, 2023.Photo:Bleecker Street Media /Courtesy Everett Collection; Tristar Media/WireImage
Bleecker Street Media /Courtesy Everett Collection; Tristar Media/WireImage
Helen Mirrenis addressing the controversy surrounding her casting as real-lifeformer Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, despite not being Jewish like Meir.Speaking withRadio Timesmagazine, the 78-year-old actress defended herself against “the whole issue of casting” that has “exploded out of the water fairly recently,” over her taking on the role for the new filmGolda.“I did tell [director Guy Nattiv] that I’m not Jewish, in case he thought I was,” said Mirren, whose makeup transformation in the film renders her unrecognizable.But Nattiv — who is Jewish and from Israel, and whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors, according toVariety— didn’t have a problem with it, according to Mirren.“I said, ‘If that’s an issue, I’ll step away, no problem,’ " theOscarwinner recalled. “But he said, ‘No, it’s not an issue. I want you to play Golda.’ And off we went.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Helen Mirren attends a special screening ofGoldaon Sept. 28, 2023, in London.Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImageIt’s not the first time Mirren hascommented on the criticismthat came with portraying Meir. As she told theDaily Mailin February 2022, “It was certainly a question that I had before I accepted the role.“Her statement was a response to Dame Maureen Lipman’sargument that “ethnicity should be prioritized"in roles like this.“I do believe it is a discussion that has to be had –it’s utterly legitimate,” Mirren said in response, before posing the question, “You know, if someone who’s not Jewish can’t play Jewish, does someone who’s Jewish play someone who’s not Jewish?““There’s a lot of terrible unfairness in my profession,” the actress added.In the film, Mirren portrays Meir, who died in 1978 at age 80, as she led the country through 1973’s Yom Kippur War, in which Egypt, Syria and a number of other Middle Eastern countries launched a surprise attack on Israel.Helen Mirren inGolda(2023).Jasper Wolf/Bleecker Street MediaMirren’s physical transformation for the part was a new experience for the actress, who previously toldDuJourmagazine the film’s makeup department “went through various manifestations” to get her look right.“Eventually we got to a point where we felt it was sufficient but hopefully not too much. Withthat sort of makeup, you’re wanderinginto dangerous territory,” she said. “Obviously, it’s there and you can’t say it’s not there. But on the other hand, the audience knows I’m not an Irish woman living in Montana.”Mirren added that she felt closely entwined with Meir during filming, noting she would think about “that acting thing: Am I becoming her or is she becoming me?"“I’ve never done anything like that before. It was an adventure,” the actress continued. “I got so used to being that person in the daytime that when the makeup all came off and I saw myself as I am, I’d forgotten that was what I looked like.”
Helen Mirrenis addressing the controversy surrounding her casting as real-lifeformer Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, despite not being Jewish like Meir.
Speaking withRadio Timesmagazine, the 78-year-old actress defended herself against “the whole issue of casting” that has “exploded out of the water fairly recently,” over her taking on the role for the new filmGolda.
“I did tell [director Guy Nattiv] that I’m not Jewish, in case he thought I was,” said Mirren, whose makeup transformation in the film renders her unrecognizable.
But Nattiv — who is Jewish and from Israel, and whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors, according toVariety— didn’t have a problem with it, according to Mirren.
“I said, ‘If that’s an issue, I’ll step away, no problem,’ " theOscarwinner recalled. “But he said, ‘No, it’s not an issue. I want you to play Golda.’ And off we went.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Helen Mirren attends a special screening ofGoldaon Sept. 28, 2023, in London.Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage
Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage
It’s not the first time Mirren hascommented on the criticismthat came with portraying Meir. As she told theDaily Mailin February 2022, “It was certainly a question that I had before I accepted the role.”
Her statement was a response to Dame Maureen Lipman’sargument that “ethnicity should be prioritized"in roles like this.
“I do believe it is a discussion that has to be had –it’s utterly legitimate,” Mirren said in response, before posing the question, “You know, if someone who’s not Jewish can’t play Jewish, does someone who’s Jewish play someone who’s not Jewish?”
“There’s a lot of terrible unfairness in my profession,” the actress added.
In the film, Mirren portrays Meir, who died in 1978 at age 80, as she led the country through 1973’s Yom Kippur War, in which Egypt, Syria and a number of other Middle Eastern countries launched a surprise attack on Israel.
Helen Mirren inGolda(2023).Jasper Wolf/Bleecker Street Media
Jasper Wolf/Bleecker Street Media
Mirren’s physical transformation for the part was a new experience for the actress, who previously toldDuJourmagazine the film’s makeup department “went through various manifestations” to get her look right.
“Eventually we got to a point where we felt it was sufficient but hopefully not too much. Withthat sort of makeup, you’re wanderinginto dangerous territory,” she said. “Obviously, it’s there and you can’t say it’s not there. But on the other hand, the audience knows I’m not an Irish woman living in Montana.”
Mirren added that she felt closely entwined with Meir during filming, noting she would think about “that acting thing: Am I becoming her or is she becoming me?”
“I’ve never done anything like that before. It was an adventure,” the actress continued. “I got so used to being that person in the daytime that when the makeup all came off and I saw myself as I am, I’d forgotten that was what I looked like.”
source: people.com
