HELEN THEE MIRREN

Finally, Dame Helen Mirren Is Shown the Respect She Deserves

The actress arrived via manservant to her latest premiere.


"Catherine The Great" UK TV Premiere  - Red Carpet Arrivals
Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images

Two days ago, Dame Helen Mirren Instagrammed a photo of herself wearing yellow rubber gloves and leaning over two bags of trash that she’d just spent an hour or so collecting from the side of a road in Italy. It was already, of course, abundantly clear that Mirren is an international treasure, but perhaps that was the tipping point for the universe to finally show Mirren the respect she deserves. (More than a Wikipedia page‘s worth of nominations and awards, of course.)

On Wednesday, the 74-year-old actress and Oscar winner attended the U.K. premiere of HBO’s upcoming limited series Catherine the Great, in which she stars as the titular 18th-century Russian emperor. Perhaps in recognition of their fortune to be graced by Mirren’s presence, the mere mortals in attendance decided to step things up. Rather than put Mirren through the pains of walking on her own two feet to the red carpet, then, several admirers (fine, HBO employees) arranged for Mirren to be airlifted, period drama-style, to the main event. In other words: Four men, dressed unabashedly in their 18th-century best, hoisted Mirren up into the air inside an ornate traditional litter—complete with a pale blue velvet interior—so that the actress could make an entrance without having to lift a finger. Behold:

Dame Helen Mirren attends the U.K. premiere of *Catherine the Great* at the Curzon Mayfair in London, England on September 25, 2019.

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Dame Helen Mirren attends the U.K. premiere of *Catherine the Great* at the Curzon Mayfair in London, England on September 25, 2019.

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Dame Helen Mirren attends the U.K. premiere of *Catherine the Great* at the Curzon Mayfair in London, England on September 25, 2019.

Mike Marsland/Getty Images

Dame Helen Mirren attends the U.K. premiere of *Catherine the Great* at the Curzon Mayfair in London, England on September 25, 2019.

David M. Benett/Getty Images

Upon safely touching down, Mirren revealed just how fully she resembled a modern-day queen, having paired her weighty diamond and sapphire jewelry with structured Chalayan and something Catherine couldn’t have dreamed of—pants. Finally, to complete the look, she pulled one final power move: taking a phone call on the red carpet.

Joseph Quinn, Dame Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, Gina McKee and Kevin McNally attend the U.K. premiere of *Catherine the Great* at the Curzon Mayfair in London, England on September 25, 2019.

David M. Benett/Getty Images

Related: Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda Prove That 70-Somethings Are the Best Runway Models at Paris Fashion Week

At 72, Helen Mirren Proves That Age Is Just a Number

Wearing with her long blonde waves with tousled bags, English actress Helen Mirren strikes a pose in 1970.

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The actress poses with her voluminous, tousled red curls with a subtle smoky eye and satin red lip in 1979.

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In 1985, Mirren wears her golden blonde hair in natural waves with blunt bangs and a light smoky eye.

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Pairing her elegant up do with a chic hat and satin pink lip, Mirren attends the Variety Club Awards in 1982.

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Wearing her tousled bob with full bangs and a satin mauve lip, Mirren attends the Drama Desk Awards Ceremony in 1995.

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With her black feathered hat and luminous skin, Mirren attends the 54th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 1997.

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Wearing her wild blonde curls in a tousled up do with a berry pink lip, Mirren arrives at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2003.

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At the 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002, Mirren radiates wearing her sleek bob side-parted with a natural berry pink lip.

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At the 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2003 , Mirren keeps a natural face with a berry stained lip.

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At the 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2004, Mirren wears a feathered waves with a pink glossy lip.

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Opting for an elegant French twist and a glossy, fuchsia lip , Mirren attends the 2005 BAFTA Film Awards.

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Celebrating her Oscar win for her role in The Queen, Mirren radiates with subtle glittered smoky eye and glossy lip at the 79th Annual Academy Awards in 2007.

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Wearing her hair in an elegant, slicked back up do with a dark smoke eye, Mirren attends the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2012.

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At the John Carter Los Angeles film premiere, Mirren opts for a chic braided up do with a satin, berry lip.

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Wearing her blonde locks in wild, tousled curls with a dark smokey eye, Mirren attends the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

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At the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2014, Mirren wears her blonde bob slicked back with bright, coral red lip.

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With side-swept bangs and a pale pink lip, Mirren attends the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2014.

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At the Collateral Beauty London film premiere in 2016, Mirren wears her platinum blonde hair in tousled curls with a subtle smoky eye.

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