I’ve admired Helen Mirren from a distance for some considerable time now. I like the way she handles herself and the way she appears to engage with others.

She oozes authenticity which, as many people know, is one of my favourite things. An article published in The Guardian enabled me to list numerous reasons Helen Mirren is a great role model for many contemporary women:

• She is extremely warm, funny and impeccably mannered
• She found the nickname ‘The Sex Queen Of Stratford’ condescending
• She understands the significance of being a face of L’Oreal Paris at the age of 70
• She insisted her photographs not be retouched to make her look younger
• She laughs often and loudly
• She is not afraid to swear
• She can appreciate beauty in others
• She believes that the stories women over forty carry are much more interesting
• She is a feminist though doesn’t need the label (because “it’s just fucking obvious”)
• She recognises there’s class inequality in today’s acting world
• She is courteous, punctual and easy to work with
• She is not vain
• She is respectful of others
• She gets nervous but doesn’t make a fuss about it
• She dyes her sister’s hair and has her sister do the same for her
• She loves how in Italy “women of all ages, shapes and sizes walk around in bikinis, free, self-confident and without care or judgment”
• She says being 70 is a pleasure and it has all been a pleasure. “You live your life,” she says. “The reality is, you either die young or you get old. There is nothing in between.”

Helen Mirren is so very attractive because all of the above is reflected in her eyes and her smile. You can see her wisdom, her respect and her love of life written into that magnificent face. We can learn a lot from Helen Mirren about how to live.

You can read the entire article here: The Guardian