Thaindian News

December 9, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): The competent British actress, Helen Mirren, labeled as sexy by her admirers, has alleged that Hollywood is guilty of adherence to sexism and ageism since Mirren deems that there is a perceptible paucity of meaty roles for elderly women in Hollywood. The 65-year-old Mirren, the superstar of ‘Red’, discharged these observations at an event arranged by Hollywood Reporter (HR) in Los Angeles to pay tribute to the 100 most influential females in entertainment. Mirren was awarded the Sherry Lansing leadership award there. Mirren has positioned the blame on Hollywood’s filmmakers for, as she sees it, creating excessive movies zoomed in on the male populace, with Mirren voicing that the moviemakers continue to venerate at the altar of the 18 to 25-year-old men and their penis. Mirren lauded the skilful working ladies in the movie business but vocalized her dread that Hollywood still concentrates on filling the films with voluptuous women for the gratification of male cinemagoers.

Mirren asserted during the event that she is offended by the survival of some second-rate male actors in Hollywood and that she is saddened by the professional death of some capable female actors. Mirren also remarked to HR that exhibiting physical gorgeousness should not be the most necessary quality for a woman, who desires to become an actress, since it engenders additional discomfort for and pressure on that female. Mirren disparagingly voiced that the fact that she is regarded as being enticing at this age is beside the point. Mirren was presented the award by Halle Berry, who commended Mirren articulately for laying the foundation for older females to remain in the acting business.

Mirren acquired the Academy Award for ‘Best Actress’ for her outstanding rendition in ‘The Queen’ and was nominated once more in 2010 for The Last Station, which is a biopic of the magnificent Russian author, Leo Tolstoy. In the film, Mirren enacts the character of Tolstoy’s wife, with the historical drama concentrating on the tale of the aged Tolstoy, who battles to harmonize his opulence and famousness with his steadfast dedication to an existence devoid of material belongings. Directed by Michael Hoffman, this film transported the actress back to her ancestry since her Dad was of Russian bloodline and she lived some of her childhood in Russia. She will next be witnessed in Rowan Joffe’s version of Brighton Rock set in the 1960s.