National Treasure: Dame Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren, DBE (born Helen Lydia Mironoff, 26 July 1945) is a renowned actress who has starred in some of Britain’s most loved films including The Queen and Calendar Girls. She has won numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress accolades!

Brought up in Southend-on-Sea, Mirren studied at the New College of Speech and Drama in London. At the age of eighteen she successfully auditioned for the National Youth Theatre and made her debut at the Old Vic in a production of Anthony and Cleopatra. Subsequently, Mirren has received acclaim for her performance in many plays, films and television programmes.

As well as receiving many industry awards, Mirren was invested in as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) on 5 December 2003. Interestingly, Mirren initially declined a CBE in 1996, and had to be encouraged to accept her award in 2003.

Image Credit: Kaiser Sousse