Emmy nominations for Mirren and Prime Suspect

Helen Mirren has been nominated for an Emmy in the category Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie for her role as Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect: The Final Act (PS7). The mini-series nabbed three nominations of its own for Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special (writer Frank Deasy), Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special (director Philip Martin).

And a little trivia:
If Helen wins, she'll be the first person ever to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie twice in a row!

If you haven't seen Prime Suspect 7, you can get it here:

Mirren criticizes BBC

- from an article for Digital Spy by Daniel Kilkelly

Dame Helen Mirren has described the BBC as a "disgrace" for releasing misleading footage of Queen Elizabeth.

The actress, who played Elizabeth II in the Oscar Award-winning movie "The Queen" last year, was shocked by the misleading trailer for its documentary "A Year With The Queen", which appeared to show the monarch storming out of a photo-shoot with photographer Annie Leibowitz.

Speaking to Sir David Frost on Al Jazeera English TV news, Mirren said that the corporation was "idiotic", adding: "The BBC should have known better. I think it was a disgrace."

The BBC has since apologized for its mistake.

Snapshots from my Life

Is the title for Helen Mirren's soon-to-be released memoir.

The book, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson is due out this fall and can be pre-ordered from Amazon.com among other places.
Publisher's synopsis:

"This delightful memoir starts with contents of the trunk, with evocative pictures of Helen's Russian antecedents. She has kept a rich seam of photographs and memorabilia from her life, and her parents, family life, childhood, teenage and early years as an actress living in insalubrious flats are vividly documented. Helen's many distinguished roles in theatre, cinema and television and the illustrious men and women she has encountered are commemorated, as well as her forays into Hollywood and her subsequent life in the US with her husband, film director Taylor Hackford. Golden Globe and Oscar ceremonies make their appearance, as do many stunning images of Helen by the world's leading photographers. "

ISBN: 9780297851974

Mirren in Gaza

Helen Mirren is set to star in a new film set in the strife-torn Gaza Strip. Mirren will portray one of the few Jewish women left in the Strip. Her daughter, a journalist, is having a relationship with a Palestinian but is shot and killed.

"It's much more a human interest story rather than a political one," said Andy Harries whose company, Left Bank Pictures, is making Gaza.
"The movie is inspired by events in Gaza and not by any particular real incident." Frank Deasy, the scriptwriter who wrote the final Prime Suspect, and Philip Martin, the director, were due in Gaza in April to continue their research. But the kidnapping of Alan Johnston, the BBC correspondent, has made it too dangerous. Instead the filming will take place in Jordan.

"Helen and Taylor Dig Our Duds!"

The fun and enthusiastic owners of clothing company Livi'n Out Loud, rejoiced when they learned that Helen Mirren and husband Taylor Hackford liked the Liv'n Out Loud t-shirts they received in their Sundance Film Festival gift bags. The liked them so much that they

immediately ordered several shirts for themselves and their friends. Apparently following the motto "If it's good enough for Hel and Tay it's good enough for us" the members of the Helen Mirren Appreciation Society flooded Liv'n Out Loud with orders. It seems that the HMAS is a miny force of nature economically speaking, something that the group has demonstrated many times in its 10-year history with coordinated donations to Oxfam, support of an LA homeless center, ongoing support of the HMAS website, impromptu travel grants for needy members so that they can attend Helen Mirren plays and get-togethers and more.

New website design

The third makeover of the HMAS website was started today. Made possible by the generous donations by several members, particularly Harrison, and to tireless tester, our MirrenTalk and photo moderator Nadine. Special thanks to them, to Anne Petree and Elaine for film reviews and all the others who contributed material and support.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you - The Queen!"

With these words, Dame Helen accepted the Academy award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Elizabeth II in Stephen Frear's The Queen.

Third time was indeed a charm as Helen's Oscar win comes after two nominations (for The Madness of King George and Gosford Park) and decades of outstanding performances.
The warmest congratulations from the Helen Mirren Appreciation Society!

Bafta jewel in royal crown

Helen Mirren continues gobbling up awards like PacMan does dots, adding a Bafta for Best Actress to her collection of prizes for the leading role performance in The Queen. Stephen Frears film also won the British Academy of Film and Television Award for best film.

Helen wins Golden Globe for Elizabeth I and II

Competing against herself (for Prime Suspect) Helen Mirren won the award for best performance by an actress in a mini-series or motion picture made for television.

Later in the evening the Hollywood Foreign Press tapped Helen once again, this time for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for The Queen. The Queen's writer Peter Morgan won for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture.

Critics' Circle Award for Distinguised Service to the Arts

Each year since 1988 The Critics' Circle has presented an award for Distinguished Service to the Arts, voted for by all members of the Circle, embracing Dance, Drama, Film, Music, Visual Arts and Architecture.

At a celebratory luncheon on 10th April 2007 in the National Theatre's Terrace Restaurant, the award for 2006 was presented to Dame Helen Mirren. As David Gritten, chairman of the Film section made clear, the decision to make the award was voted on in November 2006, well in advance of the awards hubbub that surrounded her performance in The Queen.

Accepting the award, an engraved crystal rose bowl, Mirren described it as the most useful she has ever received, while reflecting poignantly that this now "might be the last award I will win in my life. It has been a most incredible year. You do the work and then....."

Previous recipients include Sir Peter Hall (1988), Dame Judi Dench (1997) and Ian McKellen (2003).