Helen Mirren has always been a trailblazer in the world of showbusiness. Now, she wants to blaze a trail through the galaxy itself.

The Oscar-winning actress and British treasure recently, who has played Cleopatra and both Queen Elizabeths, told the Daily Star that she has another iconic role in her sites: Doctor Who.

The British sci-fi series, which has run since the 60s (with a break during the 90s), has always featured a man in the role of the planet-hopping, TARDIS riding Doctor.

“I would like to play the new female Doctor Who. I don’t want to just be his sidekick,” she said. Currently, Matt Smith plays the role, but as was hinted in the episode “The Doctor’s Wife,” it is possible for a regeneration of the Time Lord to come back as a woman.

Mirren certainly has the chops. Beyond the obvious theatrical accomplishments, she’s done plenty of action. Just this fall, in fact, she starred as a Massoud agent in “The Debt,” playing the older version of Jessica Chastain’s character.

Last week, it was revealed the Karen Gillian, who plays the Doctor’s companion Amy Pond, will be leaving the show in a “heartbreaking” storyline. Her replacement is being lined up, though no name has been revealed. Smith will stay Doctor, for now.

Whether Mirren is actually interested or was just answering a hypothetical question is unclear. That being said, it’d certainly make for a very interesting — and exciting — change.

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December 24, 2011 by Kirsty • Articles

Britney Spears, Nene Leakes … Helen Mirren? Add the dame and Oscar winner to the list of “Glee” guest stars, as Fox has confirmed to that she has recorded a guest voice performance for the series’ Jan. 17 episode.

The installment, titled “Yes/No,” will find Mirren providing the “inner voice” of a “Glee” character. Sue Sylvester? Brittany Pierce (or her cat, Lord Tubbington)? Or maybe swim team coach Roz Washington, as played by another guest star, Nene Leakes? Leakes is also confirmed for the episode.

Fox declined to offer additional details about who Mirren will voice.

TVLine.com first reported the news of “The Queen” star’s “Glee” gig, which was arranged by “Glee” director — and Mirren’s “The Passion of Ayn Rand” co-star — Eric Stoltz.

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December 22, 2011 by Kirsty • Articles

British actress Helen Mirren hailed this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to three women as historic, but said Sunday it’s shameful that so few women have won the award since it was created in 1901.

Mirren said the award marks an “extraordinary moment in the history of women,” but that it is “slightly shameful statistically that only 12 women have won it in a 112 years, when you think how important women historically have always been, specifically in terms of peace.”

She spoke to The Associated Press before the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo on Sunday, which she will host with American actress Rosario Dawson.

The concert will honor this year’s peace prize winners Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and women’s right activist Leymah Gbowee, also of Liberia, and democracy activist Tawakkul Karman of Yemen. Together, the three have boosted the number of women who have received the peace prize from 12 to 15.

Mirren said this year’s award is a historic moment, “but it is only a step on a journey that women are taking, and hopefully in 20-30 years time we will be looking at a very different scenario in the world.”

She also said she has “witnessed first hand” the struggle of women in Uganda.

“In my personal experience, wherever there was a force for the positive, for creativity, it was almost always led by women and they are doing it with no recognition and under very difficult circumstances,” she said.

Mirren also pointed out that the three winners all come from small grass-root movements.

“It is so important for all of us to realize that these movements start in very, very small ways,” she said, adding that it is important for young women to have role models like this year’s peace prize winners.

Rosario Dawson said she was inspired by the laureates during the ceremony Saturday in Oslo City Hall.

“I love being able to be part of this story and help these voices being as loud as possible because I believe in them and they are our future,” she said.

Dawson said the peace prize helps grow the community of peace makers and “give them a platform that is just as strong as the corrupters’.”

She added that their stories are representations “of who you can become, and it does not care where you start.”

The lineup of artists performing at the concert includes the Grammy Award-winning singer and activist from Benin, Angelique Kidjo, Yemen’s Ahmed Fathi, Liberian-born singer Miatta Fahnbulleh, David Gray, Jill Scott and the World Youth Choir.

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December 11, 2011 by Kirsty • Articles

Helen Mirren is in talks to join the cast of Montecito’s adaptation of the Stephen Rebello non-fiction book “Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sacha Gervasi (“Anvil! The Story of Anvil”) is directing.

The project had been set up at Paramount but is now moving to Fox Searchlight.

The 1998 book focuses on Hitchcock, at the height of his influence as a director, who decided to make a horror movie (“Psycho”) that no studio wanted. He had to come up with the financing on his own and was vindicated when the film became a hit and eventually became one of the most influential films of all time.

John McLaughlin (“Black Swan”) wrote the adaptation, which will center on the relationship between Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville.

Anthony Hopkins will play legendary director Alfred Hitchcock while Mirren will play Reville.

Mirren was recently seen in “Arthur” and “The Debt.”

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December 08, 2011 by Kirsty • Articles

DAME Helen Mirren is donating her iconic red bikini to raise money to keep Britain’s elderly warm this winter.

The veteran British actress made a splash when she was photographed in the two-piece while on vacation in 2008 and the pictures were published around the world.

Now The Queen star tells UK morning show Daybreak she has handed over her beloved swimsuit to raise cash for Age UK’s Spread the Warmth campaign, which provides thousands of older people with food packages, blankets and heaters.

“I’m saying farewell to it a little bit regretfully but hopefully it will go to someone who will fill it with as much aplomb as maybe I did,” she says.

“It happens to be one of the best bikinis in the world because it fits! The minute I bought it I loved it because it’s so hard to find a bikini that fits if you’ve got bosoms like I have.

“I would love it to raise money for an organisation that I support called Age UK. I love the idea of this little flimsy summer thing going towards helping old people stay warm and comfortable and toasty in the wintertime. Age UK is a wonderful organisation so I’m hoping that they can raise money with it.”

Fans can enter a prize draw to win the bikini by making a donation to Age UK via the Daybreak website.

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December 07, 2011 by Kirsty • Articles

Dame Helen Mirren is to host the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Norway next month, the organisers have announced.

The British actress, star of The Queen and Prime Suspect, will compere a line-up including Evanescence and Glee star Matthew Morrison.

Other British performers will include David Gray and Ellie Goulding, while country duo Sugarland, Jill Scott and the World Youth Choir will also take part.

Dame Helen has won four Baftas, three Golden Globes and four Emmy awards in a career spanning 45 years.

She is currently filming a drama about US music producer Phil Spector with Al Pacino.

The concert will be held in Oslo on December 11, the day after the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, following the tradition of the past 17 years.

This year’s recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize are Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, Liberian women’s rights activist Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman, a democracy activist from Yemen.

Geir Lundestad, secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said: ‘The Nobel Committee is thrilled to welcome Helen Mirren and these acclaimed artists to help us spread the message of peace around the world.

‘It promises to be a truly spectacular evening and we encourage the world to tune in and join us.’

The Nobel Peace Prize has previously been awarded to Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Barack Obama.

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November 21, 2011 by Kirsty • Articles

Dame Helen Mirren has become the latest British star to forfeit her share of a government grant to help elderly people in the U.K. keep warm this winter.

Officials award every citizen over the age of 65 a payment of up to $480 (£300) each year to help offset the high cost of heating during the chilly winter months.

Campaigners launched the Surviving Winter Appeal to encourage wealthy recipients to donate their allowance to poorer pensioners, and veteran actor Sir David Jason recently signed up to the initiative.

Mirren has now also pledged her support to the scheme, as has Absolutely Fabulous star June Whitfield and radio broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan, according to Britain’s The Times.

Wogan says, “This is an excellent way for local people to help some of the most vulnerable older people in their area. I’ll certainly pass my payment on and encourage everybody who can to contribute towards it.”

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November 17, 2011 by Kirsty • Articles