Helen Mirren speaks out about being called 'evil Zionist' on street in London
Actress Helen Mirren has commented on an incident last year in London where a man harassed her and called her an 'evil Zionist bitch'. She described it as a mistake, reaffirmed her support for Israel's existence but criticized its actions in Gaza, and also addressed co-star Tom Hardy's departure from 'MobLand'.
Helen Mirren has addressed the incident in which she was harassed on a London street last year and called an 'evil Zionist bitch'. Speaking at the Taormina Film Festival, she said she was 'attacked by mistake by a man who was maybe a little over passionate or maybe mentally not quite stable'. Footage of the encounter circulated online last month.
The actress reiterated her support for the existence of the state of Israel but strongly condemned Israel's assault on Gaza, calling it 'crimes against humanity'. Mirren, who is not Jewish, explained that her support stems from growing up in post-war Europe and the profound impact of the Holocaust on her parents' generation. She noted that 'the creation of Israel was a very important moment, although maybe it was done in completely the wrong way, in the wrong place'. She added that she would have joined protests against current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying 'my people are the people who are out demonstrating'.
Mirren, who played Israeli PM Golda Meir in a 2023 biopic, previously co-signed a letter supporting Israel's participation in Eurovision. The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were aware of the incident and took no further action after speaking with Mirren and her husband, filmmaker Taylor Hackford.
Additionally, Mirren commented on Tom Hardy, her co-star in the series 'MobLand', who reportedly left the show due to friction with producers. She posted a picture of Hardy on social media with the caption 'love you now and always' and said she would 'absolutely' work with him again 'in a fucking heartbeat', praising him as 'a very special person' and 'absolutely remarkable'.
