Helen Mirren addresses a public incident in London in which she was verbally abused over her views on Israel. Speaking to reporters while in Sicily for the Taormina Film Festival, where she receives a Lifetime Achievement Award, Mirren said she was confronted by a man who called her an “evil Zionist” and used other insulting language. Reports and circulated video footage indicate the exchange happened as she walked with her husband, film-maker Taylor Hackford, after someone approached her and filmed the confrontation.
Mirren says the man was “over passionate” or “mentally not quite stable,” and she asks how someone could repeat actions similar to what she says has been done to them. She also frames her view of events within a broader context, saying “evil forces” are rising.
Separately, Mirren reiterates her support for her “MobLand” co-star Tom Hardy and signals hope for his return to the project, while also emphasizing that her support is genuine and heartfelt. At least one outlet reports that the verbal attack is under investigation as a hate crime.
