Helen Mirren did not hide her surprise when she learned that she had been chosen to cover the “beauty special” issue of
People
magazine : “I was absolutely stunned, as they say in England.
I never thought of myself as "beautiful".
And [at] my age!
So I was amazed, ”says the 76-year-old actress in the article dedicated to her.
Read alsoLauren Hutton, 78, poses "topless" on the cover of
Harper's Bazaar
It's not false modesty, she says: “Don't get me wrong — I love beauty and I love looking at beautiful things.
But I don't like the word "beauty" [as it is] associated with the beauty industry—makeup and products, skincare and everything else—because I think that excludes the vast majority of us who are not beautiful.”
"Most of us are not beautiful"
White hair done in a bun, iridescent purple eyeshadow, drawn eyebrows, lilac-colored nail polish... Helen Mirren played along for this photoshoot, but still wants to assert her own vision of beauty: “There are some amazingly beautiful people in the world and it's an absolute delight to watch them, male or female.
Beautiful people are a wonder to behold, but most of us are not beautiful,” the L'Oréal Paris spokeswoman has continued since 2014. “We have other things, which are just as powerful as beauty.
And I'd like to see us celebrate those things."
If she had to redefine this notion of “beauty” in her own words, Helen Mirren would use a completely different language: “I love the word 'show off' because I think [it] means that I have confidence in myself.
I present myself to the world, I appreciate the world around me.
I think what is called the beauty industry should be called "the swagger industry".
We give people something to brag about.”
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Helen Mirren has something to “bring about” indeed with her 140 awards acquired during her 55-year career.
The British actress, who is starring in several films this year (including
The Duke
,
Golda
,
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
and
White Bird: A Wonder Story
), however admits that she is still "nervous" before to start a new project.
The best cure for his fears?
“It's really simple: getting old.
It happens.
Others call it getting old, but I call it growing up,” adds the septuagenarian, before concluding: “One of the benefits is that you literally become wiser.
Life is a constant process of learning.”
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In images, in pictures
See the slideshow17 photos
See the slideshow17 photos