Helen Mirren

July 26, 2025

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Helen Mirren, born July 26, 1945, is a brilliant English actor who has been in over 73 movies during her career. She is also the recipient of several accolades and is the only actress to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in the United States and the United Kingdom. The talented actress is still going strong to this day, and we are going to celebrate her birthday today with some fun facts.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Dame Helen Lydia Mirren

Birth date:

July 26, 1945

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Leo

Height:

5' 4"

Relationship Status:

Married

Net Worth:

$100 million

Background

Dame Helen Lydia Mirren, or Helen Mirren, is a household name the world over, and we can understand why. Mirren was born at the Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in the Hammersmith district of London to an English mother and Russian father. In her youth, Mirren attended Hamlet Court primary school in Westcliff-on-Sea, and later St Bernard’s High School for Girls in Southend-on-Sea, where she participated in numerous school productions. After high school, she went to college at the New College of Speech and Drama. When Mirren was 18 she successfully auditioned for the National Youth Theater and thereafter, at the age of 20, went on to play Cleopatra in the production of “Antony and Cleopatra” at the Old Vic.

After her success on stage, Mirren pursued film, and she’s had a very successful career. In 1980, Mirren had her breakthrough role in the film “The Long Good Friday.” Some of her other most notable film roles are “The Madness of King George” (1994), “Gosford Park” (2001), and “The Last Station” (2009), acquiring Academy Award nominations for each of those performances. She has also starred in several television shows, with “Prime Suspect” being her longest-running role from 1991 to 2006. As of 2022, Mirren has three movies in post-production, and we can’t wait to see the films!

During her career, Mirren has acquired numerous accolades, which include one Academy Award, three British Academy Television Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards; to name a few. It is no surprise as to why Mirren receives the praise she does — with an arsenal full of spectacular roles in big-budget films, she deserves all the recognition. In her personal life, Mirren married director Taylor Hackford, and she is also an avid activist.

Career timeline

1965

Her Theatrical Breakthrough

Mirren stars as Cleopatra in “Antony and Cleopatra.”

1980

Film Star Success

She gets a role in “The Long Good Friday,” which is her breakthrough role in the film industry.

1991

“Prime Suspect”

Mirren is cast as Jane Tennison in the television series “Prime Suspect.”

2007

An Academy Award Winner

Mirren wins ‘Best Actress’ for her role in “The Queen.”

Why We Love Helen Mirren

She is super stylish
Mirren, even in her 70s, is an incredibly stylish lady. She still attends fashion shows and when she walks the red carpet, you know she is there with her awesome looks.
She is charitable
During her career, Mirren has donated to several charities. Some that are close to her heart are Greenpeace, Women for Women, and the Prince’s Trust.
She doesn't conform to the norms
Mirren has never had children and doesn't feel as though it is necessary to do so. She has stated she has "no maternal instinct whatsoever."

5 Surprising Facts

Immortalized in stone
Mirren has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her great-grandfather the butcher
Her great-grandfather was a butcher for Queen Victoria.
Camping with Liam Neeson
When Mirren dated Neeson, which was short-lived, they would go on camping trips together.
Dame Helen Mirren
She has received the title ‘Dame’ by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to drama.
Queen Elizabeth I and II roles
Mirren has played two different Queen Elizabeths, Elizabeth I in "Elizabeth I" and Elizabeth II in "The Queen."