Dame Helen Mirren says criticism of her decision to play late Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir is ‘utterly legitimate’ as actress recalls spending three hours a DAY in prosthetics

British monarchs, American heirs, Jewish refugees and Russian diarists are listed on a long resume full of celebrated portraits of important historical figures.

But Dame Helen Mirren has taken on what could be described as one of her more controversial biographical roles in director Guy Nattiv’s upcoming political drama. Gouda.

The British actress, who can be seen in a glamorous new cover shoot for the autumn-winter edition of Duration magazine – plays the late Golda Meir, Israel’s only female prime minister to date.

And Mirren, 78, admits that playing the leader, despite having no off-screen connections to the religion, has drawn “perfectly legitimate” criticism from those who feel the role should have been given to a Jewish actress. passed.

She told the Daily Mail: ‘It was definitely a question I had before accepting the role. I said, ‘Look, Guy, I’m not Jewish, and if you’ll think about that and decide to go in a different direction… I’ll absolutely understand.’

The film follows Meir during the 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in October 1973 – five years before she died of lung cancer at the age of 80.

And Mirren’s involvement gives her another chance to play a prominent female leader who previously played British monarchs Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II.

“It’s an incredible challenge to play someone who was alive and famous.” she said.

“Women in positions of great power are rare in history. There aren’t many. I think they must be twice as good as any man, or even ten times. It is absolute, total devotion.

Golda had it. Catherine the Great had it. Elizabeth, I had it. Elizabeth II did too. Their approach is not casual.’

Mirren needed two to three hours of preparation a day to physically transform into the chain-smoking Meir as a 75-year-old.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” she said. ‘It was an adventure. I got so used to being that person during the day that when the makeup was off and I saw myself as I am, I forgot I looked like that.

“It’s that acting: am I going to be her or is she going to be me? There’s a photo the crew took of me and Golda, and we’re wearing the same outfits. She turns to me and says something, and I look forward with a cigarette. It’s really powerful.’

One Twitter user, who said they were “Palestinian and proud,” wrote: “How sick to make a biopic on criminal Golda Meir and yes, no surprise, Helen Mirren the racist is happy to see the purely distorted version of a disgusting individual.’

Another wrote: ‘Helen Mirren making a film about Israel’s first female prime minister is a slap in the face to the entire Palestinian people; they are literally celebrating the takeover of Palestine and the taking of families from their homes, killing children, families! Tasteless movie!’

One social media user said it was “hugely disappointing that Helen Mirren volunteered for this role,” while another wrote, “More fascism to show how ‘great’ Israel is.”

Born in Ukraine in 1898 before moving to the US as a child, Meir made history in 1969 as Israel’s first female prime minister.

She quickly sparked international controversy by saying, “There was no such thing as Palestinians.”

Meir was widely criticized in Israel for failing to adequately prepare for the threat of war, despite receiving word that Syrian troops were assembling for an attack.

After the reactions to her approach to the war, Meir announced her resignation in 1974. She died in 1978 at the age of 80.

Dame Helen has been criticized in the past for saying she was “faithful” in Israel and for rejecting calls for a boycott of the country.

The film also stars Call My Agent! actress Camille Cottin as Meir’s personal assistant and Israeli Lior Ashkenazi as her chief of staff.