Helen Mirren reveals she still feels 'incredibly intimidated' by 'these humongous movie stars' on film sets

The 73-year-old star, who has multiple Golden Globes and an Oscar on her CV, said she sometimes feels "boring and not exciting enough"
PUBLISHED MAY 13, 2019

If you thought you were among the average Joes who feel intimated in the presence of influential personalities, you are in good company. Legendary actress Dame Helen Mirren during the Mental Health Awareness Week revealed that she feels as "intimated" by "these humongous movie stars" as anyone else when she walks on to sets.

The 73-year-old star, known for her roles in 'Prime Suspect' and 'The Queen', said she sometimes feels "boring and not exciting enough." The actress, an A-lister, has won a Golden Globe and an Oscar in a movie and television career that has spanned over 50 years.

She made the statement while appearing on 'My Self Worth' podcast by L’Oréal Paris and The Prince’s Trust, which was launched on Monday for Mental Health Awareness Week. 

In this handout provided by A.M.P.A.S., Helen Mirren attends the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Getty Images)

Mirren, on the podcast, said: "Those negative thoughts are always lurking there under the surface… everybody feels this way, you aren’t the only one. What always comes up in my head is that ‘I’m boring, I’m stupid, I’m not exciting enough,'" the Daily Mail reported.

The legend continued saying how she felt "incredibly intimidated" with "these humongous movie stars" when she walked on to a film set. She added that she tries to battler her inner critic by giving herself a pep talk right before.

"Sometimes I lock myself in the loo to give myself a talking to: 'You can do it Helen, don’t worry, you can do it!'" She revealed on the podcast in an attempt to boost listeners confidence.

The actress, while talking about her mental health in the past, said that she has been insecure about multiple things throughout her life and had even experienced panic attacks when she was a teenager. 

Mirren departs the Martinez Hotel during the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival at on May 12, 2018 in Cannes, France. (Getty Images)

Other famous personalities have also appeared on the podcast to talk about mental health, including  Katie Piper, swimmer Tom Daley and model Iskra Lawrence. 

General manager of L’Oréal Paris UK and Ireland, Karen Flavard-Jones, talking about the podcast, said: "My vision is that the podcast will provide bite-size chunks of useful, inspiring and self-esteem boosting content right at your fingertips."

Mirren became the face of L'Oreal in 2014, joining the league of many famous faces fronting multiple campaigns linked with the brand.

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