Helen Mirren: 10 of Helen Mirren’s Award-Winning Roles

Dame Helen Mirren is one of the greatest actresses of our time—not to mention an Academy Award winner, Emmy Award winner, Tony Award winner, and Golden Globe winner. She is known for her work both on stage and on film.

Though she did not attend drama school, Helen underwent intensive training at the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company in London, and also spent a year traveling the world in Peter Brook’s experimental theater company. She has appeared in productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Antony and Cleopatra, Hamlet, and more. Helen earned mainstream acclaim for her role as detective Jane Tennison over seven seasons on the BBC show Prime Suspect. She is well known for her portrayals of historical characters, most notably Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II. In 2003, Helen was appointed a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to Drama.

Helen’s career has been marked by numerous award nominations and wins. Here are some of the TV and film roles that earned her major award nominations or wins.

1. 1. Marcella Morton in Cal (1984): In this film, Helen plays Marcella, the widow of a murdered police officer who falls in love with a young member of the IRA (Irish Republican Army) involved in her husband’s death. Helen won the award for Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984 for her sensitive portrayal of Marcella.
2. 2. Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect (1991 - 2006): Prime Suspect was a critical and commercial television success. Helen played Jane Tennison, a London Detective Chief Inspector who faces discrimination from a male-dominated police force. Helen’s work as Jane Tennison earned her three consecutive BAFTA awards and one Emmy award win over the series’ 15-year run.
3. 3. Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George (1994): Helen played the Queen and distressed wife of King Henry III, whose descent into madness in 1788 threw the kingdom into turmoil. Helen’s performance marked her second Best Actress Award win at the Cannes Film Festival and her first Academy Award nomination.
4. 4. Ayn Rand in The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999): Helen played author and philosopher Ayn Rand in this TVtv movie about the novelist’s affair with a young psychologist who would set up an institute devoted to her ideas. Helen’s portrayal of Ayn Rand earned Helen her first Emmy Award.
5. 5. Mrs. Wilson in Gosford Park (2001): This ensemble drama, directed by Robert Altman, tells the story of a murder at a wealthy British estate. Helen played Mrs. Wilson, the devoted head housekeeper of the estate. The film was a box office success, for which Helen received her second Academy Award nomination and her first Screen Actors Guild nomination for her role as the stern housekeeper.
6. 6. Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth I (2005): This two-part television series about the life of Queen Elizabeth I initially aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. and was later picked up by HBO. Helen plays the legendary monarch who contends with state duties, her lovers, and her legacy during a 45-year-long reign. Helen won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance.
7. 7. Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006): Helen played Queen Elizabeth II in this film about the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death. Helen’s restrained and stoic performance as the Queen earned her many critical accolades, including her first Oscar win, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and numerous critics' awards.
8. 8. Sofya Tolstoy in The Last Station (2009): Helen received her fourth Academy Award nomination for her role as Sofya, wife of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, who fights for the rights to her husband's literary estate in his final years.
9. 9. Alma Reville in Hitchcock (2012): This film is based on the marriage between the infamous director Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma, whom Helen played as an empowered creative collaborator. Helen was nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA award for her performance.
10. 10. Hedda Hopper in Trumbo (2013): Helen played the famous entertainment journalist Hedda Hopper in this film about the life of famous Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. Trumbo was well-known for his alignment with the Communist party in the mid-twentieth century, which Helen’s character Hedda was famously critical of. Helen was nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG award for her work in the film.

Become a better actor with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by award-winning actors including Helen Mirren, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, and more.