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"In a weird way, it was a bit like playing
Elizabeth I of England, in the sense of - not because she had
that regality or anything - but her utter commitment to her
country," said the English actor, who won an Oscar and a BAFTA
award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 film
"The Queen."
"Golda," which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on Monday,
focuses on Meir's leadership during the Yom Kippur War between
Israel and a coalition of Arab states in October 1973.
"It's not a biopic, it's not her whole life, it's just a little
section where she's most challenged," said Mirren.
That year, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel
on Oct. 6, during the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, threatening
to overwhelm the country. Israel launched a massive
counter-offensive before a ceasefire took hold.
Mirren is nearly unrecognizable as Meir thanks to prosthetics
and a make-up regimen that took hours, re-creating the Israeli
leader's nicotine-stained fingers and swollen ankles.
Over the course of the movie, the chain-smoking leader, who is
also secretly being treated for lymphoma, is increasingly laden
with grief as the gravity of Israel's losses weighs on her,
something that director Guy Nattiv had wanted to highlight.
"As an Israeli, I grew up with this knowledge that Golda is a
complicated character," said Nattiv, adding that he hoped his
movie would help Israelis see Meir as a real flesh and blood
person.
Nattiv also explained his decision to cast Mirren even though
she is not Jewish, saying that besides being an excellent actor,
she felt like a family member. "For me, other than the fact that
I adore Helen ... I just found her very authentic."
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(Reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
(Photo: Cast member Helen Mirren attends a
photo call to promote the movie 'Golda' at the 73rd Berlinale
International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, February 20,
2023. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi)
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