Helen Mirren opens up about sexy bikini photo, says she tried to look good for the paparazzi by 'sucking in' her tummy
Dame Helen Mirren recently opened up about the bikini picture of hers that went viral in 2008, cementing her image in front of the world as the ultimate sex symbol.
In an interview with KTLA, the 74-year-old actress said that she was only taking an impromptu photo with her husband Taylor Hackford when she noticed a paparazzi click her photo from a distance. The photo quickly became the envy of many, as it showed an extremely toned Helen at the age of 63.
However, opening up about what went down on that day, "The Queen" actress said all was not as it appeared in the picture.
"So, we were there (Italian beach), swimming a little bit, lying in the sun, and Taylor said, 'Stand up, I want to take a picture of you.' So I stood up, and sucked my tummy in because my husband was taking my photo. I tried to suck my cheeks in. I tried to look... good," Helen said.
Noticing her hesitation, her husband had joked, "You were about to say 'sexy'!" That considerably eased her up and she burst out laughing, adding, "I was, but no!"
Mirren said she had no idea that there were paparazzi also photographing her in the distance till she noticed the flash of his or her camera go off. "Just as he took the shot, I saw a flash in the hills," the actress said. "Taylor said, 'what's the matter?' I said, 'there's paparazzi up there!'"
However, Hackford refused to believe her as he had not noticed the flash. "He said, 'no, there isn't, don't be ridiculous! How can they be up there, that's absolutely absurd. You're paranoid!' Of course, three days later, that shot came out!"
Many years later it was revealed that a string of opportunities came her way after the iconic shot back in 2008 for her to market the photo and pocket quite a bit of cash, but she refused all of them as she was "not interested" in profiting from the picture.
Simon Mirren, British television writer, producer and the nephew of Helen said later that he did not agree with his aunt's decision. "I begged her to turn us all into millionaires by marketing bikinis after everyone went wild over her fit bikini body but she said, 'Absolutely no'. She's not interested. She won't brand herself like that," he said, Daily Mail reported.
Earlier, Helen had said that photo would "haunt" her for a lifetime. "I think the thing that will haunt me for the rest of my life is that bloody photograph of myself in a bikini. In and of itself, it is a lie because I don't actually look like that and I know that is going to haunt me forever and I'll be forever trying to bury it unsuccessfully," she said.