Hollywood actress and glamorous face of L’Oréal looks UNRECOGNISABLE in prosthetics for new movie – but can YOU guess who she is?
This Oscar winning actress found fame on the London stage in the swinging sixties before taking Hollywood by storm.
She played a tough as nails TV detective for 15 years and later swapped her badge for a crown after being made a Dame.
As well as her acting talents she is known for her natural beauty and in 2014 became an ambassador for cosmetics brand L’Oréal at the tender age of 69.
As well as playing historical figures she more recently starred an unlikely action star in Shazam 2 and Fast and Furious 9.
But can you guess who she is?
Who? This Oscar winning actress found fame on the London stage in the swinging sixties before taking Hollywood by storm
Clues? But can you guess who she is?
It’s none other than Dame Helen Mirren, 78, who stars as former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in new movie Golda.
The actress looks unrecognisable in the trailer which was released on Tuesday as she sports facial prosthetics and a grey wig.
The film chronicles the controversial decisions that the politician made during the height of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, which saw her country suffer huge losses in a battle with multiple Arab States.
Golda was written by Nicholas Martin, who previously penned the whimsical film Florence Foster Jenkins, and will be directed by Guy, who previously helmed the Oscar-winning short film Skin.
Dame Helen previously said of the role: ‘Golda Meir was a formidable, intransigent and powerful leader. It is a great challenge to portray her at the most difficult moment of her extraordinary life. I only hope I do her justice!’
Director Guy said: ‘I have long been an admirer of the great Helen Mirren. She has melted so brilliantly into Golda Meir’s character with incredible talent, intelligence, depth and emotion, doing justice to the richness and complexity of this incredible woman.’
However, Dame Helen’s appearance in the film has not come without controversy – she has been subjected to a torrent of abuse for portraying Israel’s only female leader.
Glamour: It’s none other than Dame Helen Mirren, 78, who stars as former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in new movie Golda (pictured in May)
The role: The actress looks unrecognisable in the trailer (left) which was released on Tuesday as she sports facial prosthetics and a grey wig (right, pictured in July 2022)
Acting chops: Dame Helen plays Israel’s first female Prime Minister Golda Meir in director Guy Nattiv’s biopic movie
Critics on social media described the production as ‘fascism’, ‘sick’ and ‘tasteless’.
One Twitter user, who said they were ‘Palestinian and proud’, wrote: ‘How sick making a biopic on criminal Golda Meir and yes no surprise Helen Mirren the racist is happy to portray the pure distorted version of a disgusting individual.’
Another wrote: ‘Helen Mirren doing a film about the first female prime minister of Israel is a slap in the face to all the people of Palestine, they are literally celebrating taking over Palestine and taking families out of their homes, murdering children, families! Tasteless film!’
One social-media user said it was ‘hugely disappointing that Helen Mirren is volunteering for this role’, while another wrote: ‘More fascism to show how “wonderful” Israel is.’
However, Golda Meir’s grandson defended Dame Helen over her casting as the former Israeli Prime Minister, saying she would have ‘loved’ to have been played by the actress and it ‘doesn’t matter’ whether or not she is Jewish.
Glitzy: As well as her acting talents she is known for her natural beauty and in 2014 became an Ambassador for cosmetics brand L’Oréal at the tender age of 69
Dramatic: Golda is a thriller chronicling the controversial decisions that the politician (pictured right, in 1970) made during the height of the Yom Kippur War in 1973 (Helen, left pictured in the movie)
Shocking: Meir came under huge criticism when she failed to prepare Israel for the threat of war, and resigned the following year (pictured with then- US President Nixon in 1969)
The Oscar-winning star was drawn into a ‘Jew face’ row after her casting as the iconic Israeli politician in the upcoming biopic ‘Golda’ was called into question by British actress Dame Maureen Lipman.
The Coronation Street star said she disagreed with the casting of Dame Helen, who is not Jewish, because the ‘Jewishness of (Meir’s) character is so integral’ to the role.
She later doubled down on her comments, saying Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand, both of whom are Jewish, should have been considered first.
Her comments sparked an online row, with comedian David Baddiel defending Dame Maureen, while others, including Maidenhead Rabbi Jonathan Romain, urged that ‘actors should act’.
Golda Meir’s grandson gave his verdict, saying ‘it doesn’t matter’ whether or not Dame Helen is Jewish.
Speaking to the Jewish Chronicle, Shaul Rahabi, whose mother was the politician’s daughter, said: ‘I have no issue with Helen Mirren being Jewish or not Jewish playing my grandmother.
‘It doesn’t matter at all. I’m sure Helen Mirren is great.’
Who is Golda Meir?
Golda Meir was born in Ukraine in 1898 before moving to the US as a child, and in 1921 she emigrated to Palestine after her wedding.
She made history in 1969 when she became Israel’s first female Prime Minister and has been described as ‘The Iron Lady’ in the veil of Margaret Thatcher.
After being elected into office, Meir faced huge criticism when she failed to adequately prepare her country for the impending threat of war, despite receiving word that Syrian forces were gathering for an attack.
While she eventually approved the mobilising of forces, she opted against a preemptive strike, citing Israel’s need for foreign aid, and the fear that the US would be wary of intervening.
U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was later quoted as saying that if Meird had launched a preemptive strike, Israel would not have received ‘so much as a nail.’
Following the backlash for her handling of the war, Meir announced her resignation in 1974, and she eventually died on December 8, 1978, at the age of 80 after battling lymphatic cancer.
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