- Helen Mirren on portrayal.
- Delicate balance in acting.
- Controversy over heritage representation.
Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren has stated that portraying characters of diverse heritage necessitates a “very delicate balance.”
In her most recent film, the 78-year-old Mirren portrays former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, a portrayal for which she has faced criticism for not being Jewish.
During Laura Kuenssberg’s Sunday program, she expressed that she “understands” why some might take offense at the portrayal.
However, she added, “Sometimes, I cannot see because I cannot determine who in this room is Jewish. We are all such an amazing mix.”
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When the first trailer for the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, a Netflix film, was released earlier this year, Bradley Cooper faced significant criticism for using makeup to enhance his nose.
Cooper, who is not Jewish, faced backlash, with some social media users accusing him of perpetuating objectionable Jewish stereotypes.
However, Bernstein’s family expressed satisfaction with Cooper’s portrayal of him.
Mirren remarked, “There is something offensive about assuming a certain physiognomy when portraying a specific race.”
“On the other hand, if you’re playing Leonard Bernstein, and this is how Leonard Bernstein actually appeared, you know, it might be a good notion. As previously stated, it is a delicate balance.”
Dame Maureen Lipman, a fellow Jewish actor, questioned Mirren’s casting in the film last year, telling the Jewish Chronicle, “The Jewishness of the character is so integral.”
“I’m certain she [Dame Helen] will be fantastic, but Ben Kingsley could never portray Nelson Mandela. “You simply could not go there,” she said.
The film Golda examines the biography of Israel’s first female prime minister from 1969 to 1974, including the years of the Yom Kippur war – one of Golda Meir’s most significant periods in office.
Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in October 1973, igniting the Yom Kippur conflict. The ensuing conflict caused tens of thousands of fatalities.
The film explores new narratives based on recently declassified top-secret government documents from the time of the conflict.
Mirren stated that she was “of course” aware of the controversy surrounding Golda, particularly regarding her treatment of Palestinians.
She states, “All I’m doing is portraying Golda during the Yom Kippur War.”
“I am not attempting to explain her, rationalize her, or reevaluate her. “I’m simply portraying a woman of that age in that situation,” she explained.
Mirren said Golda Meir’s rise to power was “an astounding moment for young women” and that “up to that point it was incomprehensible that a woman could lead a country, let alone as complex and as important as Israel.”
Mirren, who has been lauded by Golda director Guy Nattiv for her portrayal of the prime minister during the decisive days of the Yom Kippur conflict, stated that she was inspired by the leader’s courage during that time.
“The fact that she didn’t wear power suits and act like she was running a country,” she said.
“She remained precisely the same person she was before she became prime minister. It was an incredibly significant occasion in female history for me to witness that.”
