Helen Mirren's very good year

By Stone Martindale Dec 4, 2006, 1:42 GMT

Helen Mirren - talent, humor, class and sex appeal © David Gabber / Photorazzi

London- Dame Helen Mirren's has been blessed with rich English female monarch subjects, namely Queen Elizabeth I, portraying her in HBO's critically acclaimed "Elizabeth I" as well as her outstanding performance as the reigning English Royal Elizabeth II in the film "The Queen."   
 
The twice Oscar nominated actress, who has already created Oscar buzz for her performance as the British monarch, was honored with a special award for film achievement, The Variety UK Film Achievment Award at this year's British Independent Film Awards. 

She has also announced to British press her book deal, detailing her life story through photographs in a book to be published next year in 2007.  Mirren has allegedly been rejecting book deals for her autobiography for years, insisting she had no interest.  However, Mirren is now planning to write text accompanying the photos herself. 

Mirren was born in England, but her grandfather was a Tsarist Russian, and became stranded in England during the Russian revolution.  Her real name at birth was Ilyena Vasilievna Mironov.  Mirren is the only actress to play both Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

At 24, she appeared in her first film, Age Of Consent, and has since starred in more than a dozen movies, including the recently acclaimed The Queen. Reports IMDB.com.

Helen married American film director Taylor Hackford, her partner since 1986, in Scotland on December 31, 1997. Reports IMDB.com.