Oscar-winning actress recently became the target of a verbal antisemitic attack in London, a viral video shows. The acclaimed actress was branded an “evil Zionist b****”.
Here’s what happened
The video shared by London & UK Street News shows the 80-year-old being approached while walking in East London’s Tower Hill neighbourhood with her husband, Taylor Hackford, 81, on Wednesday night.
“There is Helen Mirren, the avowed Zionist. You said Israel should last forever because of the Holocaust,” the man shouted, referring to the actress’s 2023 remarks about the Jewish state.
While the actress maintained her calm and didn’t respond to the stranger, her husband, Hackford, responded by saying, “F*** off.”
Mirren backs Israel
According to the New York Post, the acclaimed actress has been a longtime supporter of , first visiting the Jewish state in 1967 shortly after the Six-Day War.
Mirren, who played Israel’s first female prime minister, Golda Meir, in the 2023 film “Golda,” said that she believes in the “existence of Israel.”
She told Israel’s Channel 12 at the time, “I believe in Israel, in the existence of Israel, and I believe Israel has to go forward into the future, for the rest of eternity,” and added, “I believe in Israel because of the Holocaust.”
Mirren’s appearance in the film proved controversial, with the London-based Palestinian Solidarity Campaign leading calls for a boycott. Her portrayal of Meir drew criticism from some quarters, largely because the actress is not . She has previously described herself as “a Christian who doesn’t believe in God.”
Speaking to Radio Times in 2023, Mirren said she had discussed the issue with the film’s director, Guy Nattiv, and told him she was willing to withdraw from the role if her religion became a concern.
According to Mirren, Nattiv dismissed the concern and insisted he wanted her to play Golda Meir, after which production moved forward.
The actress has also repeatedly opposed calls for a cultural boycott of Tel Aviv, arguing that the country’s artistic community would play a significant role in shaping its future.
Mirren, who won the for Best Actress in 2007 for portraying Queen Elizabeth II in “The Queen,” was also among several prominent figures who signed a letter backing Israel’s participation in this month’s Eurovision Song Contest. She was also among 2,000 celebrities and entertainment chiefs who signed an open letter condemning ’ atrocities committed on 7 October 2023.
The letter read, “The nightmare that Israelis have feared for decades became a reality as Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli cities and towns.”
It further said, “Under the cover of thousands of rockets fired indiscriminately into civilian populations, Hamas murdered and kidnapped innocent men, women, and children. They kidnapped and murdered infants and the elderly. They raped women and mutilated their bodies. They paraded their bodies through the streets and on social media, and cowardly attacked the Supernova Music Festival – bringing death and destruction to an event celebrating friendship and love.”
“This is terrorism. This is evil. There is no justification or rationalization for Hamas’ actions. These are barbaric acts of terrorism that must be called out by everyone. They are a terrorist organization whose leaders call for the murder of Jews everywhere,” the letter added.
Ever since Hamas’ attack in Israel and the subsequent conflict in Gaza, attacks have been on the rise across countries. Last month, two Jewish men were stabbed in London’s Golders Green. In March, arsonists set fire to four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity in north London’s Golders Green.
Weeks later, a synagogue and the former premises of a Jewish charity, both in north London, were also attacked.
- The rise of antisemitic incidents in response to geopolitical conflicts reflects broader societal issues.
- Prominent figures like Helen Mirren can attract both support and backlash for their political stances.
- Public reactions to celebrity activism reveal the complexities of cultural and political identities.
