Helen Mirren: “The industry would prefer actresses not to have birthdays”

Why do you think a cinematic portrait of Golda Meir is relevant today?

For a long time, Golda was treated as an outcast in her own country; He was cited as the main culprit for the large number of lives of Israeli soldiers caused by the Yom Kippur War; However, when some documents were declassified, it was learned that other military and political commanders who did not do their jobs were also killed. blame. . In any case, he took responsibility and resigned, and this is something many current politicians should emulate. How many do something similar?

film She was criticized by those who felt that Meir should have been played by a Jewish actress. What do you think about this topic?

I acknowledge that my choice of characters may have caused dissatisfaction in some people, and I am aware of how much concern is growing when it comes to representing communities, cultures and religions on screen; I have played other Jewish women in the past and there was no controversy about it. I am generally against restricting the work of artists, especially if it is not disrespectful to anyone. My perspective on the film in no way responds to an interest in stereotyping or offending people, we simply tried to faithfully reproduce Golda. And I have to say, I wouldn’t think twice about accepting a role like this in the future.

Historically, Golda Meir has been criticized for her attitude towards the Palestinian people, to which ‘Golda’ has no allusion…

The film portrays him at a very specific moment in his career and does not attempt to rationalize or support his policies; It is clear that in some respects he is a victim of his bigotry and narrow-mindedness. In any case, his rise to power in the 1960s was a historical moment of great significance. Until then, it was almost unthinkable for a woman to lead a country as important and complex as Israel. She led the country during a misogynistic era and paved the way for other leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel. This makes him an incredibly relevant figure.

You have had a close connection to Israel since you spent time on a kibbutz at the age of 22. Do you understand this attitude of the country? Palestine?

Yes, since I visited Israel for the first time, I have always empathized with Israel, and one of the reasons for this is the Holocaust. I began to learn about this as a child, and as I became more aware of the magnitude of this barbarity, I felt incredibly moved; I still have a hard time understanding that something this terrible could actually happen. I think that we should not forget the past and learn from it, and that this knows no sides.

Before her role as Prime Minister, she portrayed two empresses, several queens, and even a daughter of God throughout her career. Are you attracted to such imposing characters and extraordinary authorities?

I can say that I do not choose the characters I play according to these criteria, at least as far as I know. But I often unconsciously choose to play women with great determination and confidence in their own strength, because I am nothing like them. Even after all this time, I still feel insecure about my job.

Would you say that you, too, were a victim of misogyny at some point in your career? Until recently, sexism reigned with impunity in the industry. cinema.

I don’t know if I should call this misogyny. When I started out, many people found it disturbing, even contradictory, that I, a blonde-haired, big-breasted woman, was trying to become a respectable actress, and so they didn’t take me seriously. I had to carry this prejudice on my shoulders and not let it crush me, and I realized that the only way I could eliminate it was by working hard. And since then I have never speculated about my image. For example, I have never played women in their 25-30s who are over 40, or women in their 40s when it was obvious that I had left them behind a long time ago. Age has never scared me.

So is the industry afraid?

The industry would prefer us actors not to have birthdays. It makes me angry when someone says to me, “You look beautiful for your age.” How can they be so condescending? I find this insulting. In any case, the ageism that we actresses experience is a reflection of the problems experienced not only by mature women, but also by us women in general. I find it very sad that young women need botox or retouching because of the image they want to have. Feminism has made a lot of progress recently, but this pressure has increased.