Helen Mirren on Golda Meir role backlash: ‘Terrible unfairness’ in acting

PEAKY Blinders bosses have kept alive Helen McCrory's Aunt Polly character in the sixth series - but were you able to spot the clues? The sixth and final season of the hit BBC series has finally returned, more than two years after that epic cliffhanger aired. But one person whose absence will be felt by viewers this time around, though, is Aunt Polly, the head of the Shelby family in the previous five seasons. Actress Helen McCrory, who played the formidable matriarch in the series, died last year after a private illness with cancer.

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PEAKY Blinders fans were in tears as the BBC gangster drama paid tribute to its late star, Helen McCrory. Helen 52, starred as Tommy Shelby’s aunt, Polly Gray, but sadly passed away after a battle with cancer in April 2021.

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Speaking about her role, Helen explained: “I swore to myself that I would never play a character that is described as the long-suffering, but she is, and she is a great character.”The Oscar-winning performer continued: “This turned out to be Roger Michell's last film.“He was a great film director and I think it is wonderful to have this as his last because it is very funny, but at the same time it has great emotional depth.”Helen is also set to star as former Israeli prime minister, Golda Meir, in the upcoming biopic Golda.However, the casting of Helen for the role attracted some controversy.Fellow actor Maureen Lipman claimed Helen should not play a Jewish character as she is not Jewish herself.Speaking about the choice of casting, she explained: "With that, I disagree because the Jewishness of the character is so integral.“I’m sure she will be marvellous, but it would never be allowed for Ben Kingsley to play Nelson Mandela."You just couldn’t even go there," she told The Jewish Chronicle last month.Maureen later clarified her remarks, stressing that they were aimed at the casting team and not Helen.She said: "I have nothing against Helen playing it."My query is should the casting directors have looked first, and maybe they did, at Bette Midler or Streisand or Jennifer Connelly or Scarlett Johansson… or Tracey Ullman?"Helen admitted that she had also pondered whether she would be right for the role and addressed her concerns with director Guy Nattiv.She said: "It was certainly a question that I had before I accepted the role."I said, ‘Look Guy, I’m not Jewish, and if you want to think about that and decide to go in a different direction, no hard feelings.

Helen Mirren kicks up her heel while dancing with Jim Broadbent on the red carpet at the premiere of The Duke held at The National Gallery on Tuesday (February 8) in London.

K.J. Yossman Helen Mirren, who plays Israeli prime minister Golda Meir in an upcoming biopic, has broken her silence on the debate around her casting.“Golda,” which wrapped in December and also stars “Call My Agent’s” Camille Cottin, is directed by Israeli filmmaker Guy Nattiv (“Skin”).However, there was disquiet over the casting around the time the film was shooting in London, last winter, after photographs emerged of Mirren looking drastically different for the role.Actor Maureen Lipman (“The Pianist”) told Variety in Jan.: “Helen will be great.

Helen Mirren is addressing the controversy surrounding her latest role.

Helen Mirren has been engulfed in controversy due to her latest role, former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, in the upcoming biopic “Golda”.

Educating Rita actor Lipman had previously told how she was uncomfortable with Mirren, who is not Jewish, playing Meir.Speaking about the choice of casting, she said: "With that, I disagree because the Jewishness of the character is so integral.“I’m sure she will be marvellous, but it would never be allowed for Ben Kingsley to play Nelson Mandela."You just couldn’t even go there," she told The Jewish Chronicle last month.However, Lipman later addressed her comments, clarifying that they were aimed at the casting team and not Mirren.She said: "I have nothing against Helen playing it."My query is should the casting directors have looked first, and maybe they did, at Bette Midler or Streisand or Jennifer Connelly or Scarlett Johansson… or Tracey Ullman?"The biopic is set during the Yom Kippur war in 1973 and focuses on Meir who was Israel's prime minister between 1969 and 1974.