Helen Mirren has worked across almost every genre and won just about every major acting award along the way. From Shakespearean drama to action, comedy and crime, she has never stayed in one lane for far too long. At 81, she is still mixing things up, this time returning as crime boss Maeve Harrigan in the second season of MobLand. In this conversation, she speaks about working with Pierce Brosnan, her love for a good script, and why she has no plans to slow down.
What can you tell us about MobLand Season 2?
This season is everything that made Season 1 so gripping and so wonderful, times 10! It is still very much from the world of Guy Ritchie. So much is going on with all the characters.
Maeve has become one of the most popular characters in the show despite being so nasty...
I think because she’s basically a psychopath and people seem to love a psychopath story (laughs). But I also think there is so much more to Maeve, which is why I love playing her. She’s funny and strong with real agency and drive. Women appreciate seeing a female character who is not only strong but also interesting and complex, as are all the female characters in MobLand.
“I haven’t won a Grammy, which is annoying, but unfortunately I absolutely can’t sing. But even to be mentioned for any award is flattering.”
How did the role first come to you?
The script first came to me when I was on the set of The Thursday Murder Club, which was funny because Pierce (Brosnan) and I were in that together, and he got the script at the same time. It meant we got to talk to each other about it. We loved working together, so it was a case of, “Well, I will if you will…” We didn’t know too much about it. But we knew it would be fun, which it is, and we knew it was from Guy Ritchie. And then when we got into it and got to experience the wonderful writing, it just turned out to be the best decision.
Pierce Brosnan returns as your on-screen husband and fellow crime boss. What is it about working with him that you enjoy the most?
Everything. He’s a wonderful actor. He’s so brilliant as Conrad in this, just as he is brilliant in everything. He’s just terrifying as Conrad—as this terrible, violent man on the edge of tearing everything down around him. But then off camera, Pierce is just so much fun, lovely and peaceful.
MobLand has already been picked up for the third season. What do you think has made the show so popular with audiences all around the world?
Again, the writing is so good, and the characters are all so beautifully developed and interesting. For me, one thing that makes this show really stand out is how strong the female characters are. They are not just in the background. No one is just a pretty face.
Does all that swearing Maeve does ever bother you?
There is a lot of swearing, but it’s justified, so no, it doesn’t bother me. Swearing is the vernacular of these people—just as it is the vernacular among certain groups in society.
We have seen you in huge Hollywood blockbusters as well as in TV roles. Do you approach each differently?
I don’t. As an actor, I think you have to treat both the small screen and the big screen the same. You can only work with the material as you see it and do what feels right.
We have to ask you about working with the rest of the cast, given there have been reports of some unrest...
There is nothing to say. We’re professionals. We get on with it. We love and support each other. We all love the show, and we all want the show to be its very best. When you are professional, you want a certain level of work. We’re all working towards that.
What inspires you to keep taking on new challenges?
My husband inspires me. The people I collaborate with inspire me. They always have.
After having done it all over 50 years as an actor, would you say that, at this point in your career, you just get to have fun?
Of course, but it’s also work. We get up early, we sit in the makeup chair, sometimes it’s cold, sometimes it’s hot, but yes, it’s fun. I have a serious side of my career too, so it’s nice to mix it up a bit. I am always trying to find projects that are different. That’s what I love – the constant mixing up.
What would you say is the secret to longevity in your industry?
I don’t know. For me it’s simply wanting to get up and to get going with whatever I have to do every day. I have a mantra which goes, ‘Do everything but not too much of anything.’ That has served me well over the years and that’s still what I’m doing.
How do you feel about awards, given that you have won just about everything in your career?
Well, I haven’t won every award. I haven’t won a Grammy, which is annoying (laughs), but unfortunately I absolutely can’t sing. But even to be mentioned for any award is flattering.