Dame Helen Mirren, 78, has been an emblem of grace and style on the red carpet since the late 1970s. She’s amazed the audience many times with her daring outfits and looks, but this time, she’s caught everyone’s attention in a whole new way. Many people were stunned when they saw a photo of the actress in her bikini on vacation in Italy.
She admits that this photo will ’haunt’ her for the rest of her life.
In 2008, Helen Mirren, at that time 63 years old, stunned the public with her bikini photoshoot. The photo quickly went viral. The Oscar-winning actress became something of a post-mid-life beauty symbol. Reflecting on the photo, Mirren expressed, “I think this thing will haunt me for the rest of my life,” as she was surprised to see this photo in all the major tabloids.
The actress also revealed she was just trying to look good for her husband, Taylor Hackford, “So we were there, 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.”
This unexpected fame opened up some business opportunities for her.
Simon Mirren, Helen’s nephew, said that his aunt received a lot of business prospects but showed no interest in capitalizing on this photo. Simon recalled, “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 won’t brand herself like that.”
It’s not the first time an actress has challenged age stereotypes.
The actress unveiled her “radical” hairstyle while promoting her role as Hespera, the villain in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The actress acknowledged that after growing her hair, she kind of liked it and didn’t feel like cutting it.
During a recent TV appearance, Mirren challenged the fact that older women are discouraged from having long hair because it tends to thin with age. The actress refuted this notion, stating that there is a general belief that one should not have long hair after a certain age.
The Oscar-winning actress hasn’t had long hair since her twenties. She liked the way it looked and decided to keep it. “I thought, do you know what, it’s pretty cool, I think I’ll stick with it for a little while. It will come off eventually…but I’m kind of enjoying it, it’s quite radical,” the actress said.
Mirren also expressed her pride in representing women over 60, stating that creativity, passion, and energy do not stop unless one decides to stop them. “So it’s just self-motivated, really, and never give up. And find enjoyment, if it’s possible in your life,” she shared.
Dame Helen Mirren has also been vocal about defying beauty standards for older women, citing that her generation has been subject to ageism for too long. She also voiced her frustration with beauty products being marketed with 15-year-old models in a 2019 interview.
The actress has her own views on beauty too, and it’s refreshing to hear someone in the public eye acknowledge that the idea can be exclusionary and make people feel insecure about themselves. “They’ll think, ’Well, I’m not very beautiful. It’s all very well for all these beautiful women, but I don’t feel beautiful,’” she explained.
For Mirren, it’s important for everyone to feel confident and fabulous, regardless of their looks. “Being powerful is so much more interesting than being beautiful,” the actress has always thought.
On a different note, Mirren revealed that she performed her own stunts on the set of Shazam! Fury of the Gods. “I was incredibly brave and didn’t say anything or complain because I wanted to be a real ’stunty’ person,” the actress proudly shared.
It’s great to see actors who are dedicated to their craft and willing to take risks for their performances.
Demi Moore, 61, also fights stereotypes that older women shouldn’t wear bikinis in her latest video, but the public is divided.
Richard Gere, 75, Steps Out with His Wife – But Everyone’s Talking About This Surprising Detail!
Even in his 70s, Richard Gere still makes women swoon. Earlier this month, he attended an event wearing a black tuxedo. His wife, Alejandra Silva, 41, joined him in a sparkling cream and silver dress.
The couple attended the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland. Gere looked sharp in his black tux, white shirt, and bow tie.
Silva’s sleeveless dress showed off her toned arms and glowing skin. She wore silver heels, and together, they walked the red carpet arm-in-arm, looking very happy.
While many love the couple, some had different opinions. One person commented, “She’s much younger, but hey, it’s their life. I don’t like her dress here.”
Others noticed something else interesting. One person wrote, “I thought it was Julia Roberts,” while another said, “She kinda looks like Julia Roberts.”
These comments are even more intriguing because of the connection Gere has with Julia Roberts. The two starred together in the hit 1990 movie, *Pretty Woman*.
Just like the chemistry Gere had with Roberts on-screen, he shares the same spark with his wife in real life. Alejandra Silva has expressed her deep love for Gere, saying, “I never thought I’d find a man so perfect for me. I have no words to describe my happiness.”
She has also talked about their age difference, saying she doesn’t feel it because Gere is so active. In fact, she sometimes struggles to keep up with him! Silva humorously added, “He has promised me at least 20 good years!”
Silva also said that she gives Gere the stability he needs. She shared, “It helped that I wasn’t an actress or a model. I never had any interest in that. What has brought us closest is our desire to help others in need, our commitment to Buddhism, and our support for the Tibetan people.”
She mentioned that Gere appreciates and values her work as a humanitarian. Besides his wife, Gere is often joined by his son, Homer Gere, who he shares with his ex-wife Carey Lowell.
The father and son were recently seen arriving at the 81st Venice Film Festival by a small boat. A video shared on social media showed Gere and Homer happily waving to the cheering crowd.
We send our best wishes to Richard Gere, his wife, and his son. Share this with other fans of the actor who might want to learn more about his life and recent public appearances.
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