Dame Helen Mirren has said being chosen for a lifetime achievement award by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has caused her to reflect on the “end of the road” of her acting career.
The Oscar-winning actress, 76, will receive the prestigious prize at SAG’s 28th annual ceremony in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, on Sunday.
Across her 50-year acting career, she has played everything from a gangster’s girlfriend in 1980 movie The Long Good Friday to Elizabeth II in The Queen, from 2006.
'It's an interesting moment of reflection.'
Ahead of receiving her SAG Lifetime Achievement Award this Friday, Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren explains why even she suffers from self-doubt. pic.twitter.com/WAxCyipoQQ
— Lorraine (@lorraine) February 23, 2022
Speaking about the award on ITV’s Lorraine, she said: “I didn’t quite grasp how big a deal it was.
“It’s a funny moment that, of course, there’s a great feeling of pride and: ‘Wow, me? Really?’
“And then, of course, there’s a slight sting in the tail as well… and you are in a way coming to the end of the road.
“Certainly, the end of the road is in sight where it wasn’t like 20 years ago, and you can sort of see it down the road.”
The veteran actress added that the accolade had caused to her have an “interesting moment for reflection”.
She explained she had considered: “‘Do I deserve this? How did I get here? How did that happen? Was it luck or was it agency on my part?’”
Dame Helen Mirren has been named the 57th recipient of SAG-AFTRA’s highest tribute: the Life Achievement Award. Watch as she explains what receiving the award means to her.
The 28th Annual @SAGawards airs live Sunday, Feb. 27 on @tntdrama and @TBSNetwork. pic.twitter.com/uGPO4h1klf
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) February 17, 2022
With 13 SAG Awards nominations and five wins, Dame Helen is the most decorated SAG lifetime achievement recipient, according to the union.
The award will be presented to her by fellow Oscar-winning actress and her Collateral Beauty co-star Kate Winslet.
Previous recipients of the accolade include Robert De Niro, Julie Andrews, Elizabeth Taylor and Gene Kelly.
Dame Helen previously won an Oscar, a Bafta and a SAG award for the title role in The Queen, adding to her collection of Emmys, Baftas and a Tony award.
She was also made a dame in the Queen’s 2003 Birthday Honours for her services to drama.
Her latest project in her 50-year acting career will see her star alongside fellow screen veteran Jim Broadbent in the upcoming film The Duke, which is based on the true story of the theft of a valuable portrait from The National Gallery in London.
She told ITV’s Lorraine that the younger actors in The Duke had been “brilliant” and said that they had helped the “old people”, referencing her and Broadbent, with their accents for the movie.
Lorraine weekdays is on at 9am on ITV and ITV Hub.