The actress, who won an Oscar and a Bafta for her performance, said she quickly realized she was dealing with a very sensitive time in the Queen’s life and decided to contact her.
Her performance was memorable Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen in 2006. Written by The Crown creator Peter Morgan, it focused on Diana’s death and whether the Queen should return to London from Balmoral Palace.
The actress, who won an Oscar and a Bafta for her performance, said she quickly realized she was dealing with a very sensitive time in the Queen’s life and decided to contact her. “I realized we were investigating a deeply painful part of her life and so I wrote to her,” he told the Radio Times.
“I wrote to her: ‘We’re making this film. We’re exploring a very difficult time in your life. I hope it’s not too terrible for you.’ I don’t remember how I put it… I wrote her that during the movie I found my respect for her growing and I wanted her to know that.. She replied through her secretary. I was really relieved by this letter.”
After this Mirren was invited to a dinner at the palace, however she was unable to attend due to filming in the US.
The much-loved British actress revealed in her self-criticism that she was overly critical of her roles and could get depressed at the thought of giving a terrible performance, adding that today she has learned how not to “punish” herself.
It is noted that Helen Mirren has also played Queen Elizabeth I in the 2005 TV series, and is the only actress to have played both queens.
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