I almost posted this yesterday! She's amazing. I wish my stomach looked that good. Although, she's got an advantage in that she's never had kids. They just completely destroy your whole body. (No turning back now, 'Pode!)

Va va voom. Not only hot but hot in the good way - totally strong and toned.

she is older than my mom and hotter than me. how depressing.
(and I don't have kids, either)

I agree she is lovely - and yeah - waaaay hotter than us mere mortals. I am compelled to point out though, that it is her job to work on the bod - she most probably has staff nutritionists, chefs, and trainers working with her daily, and no pesky 9-5 or more when she's not filming. And I can't tell, but it's also true that she'd have access and means, at lest, to do some surgical stuff. So go Helen, but don't be depressed people. It feels different because she's older than traditional hot bods, but it's still part of the culture of perfection blah blah stuff.

I want to be with Helen Mirren.

rainbaby's right, she has the time, resources, and motivation (it is her job) to do basically nothing else but stay in the best possible shape.

Nonetheless, wow.

Wow, before I even clicked on that link, I was thinking "Yeah, and have you seen her in a swimsuit?"

Just last week, Mom and I were talking about Helen Mirren, and I mentioned a scene in The Clearing where she appears in a maillot swimsuit. She is (ahem) clearly unassisted by support garments under it, and she looks amazing.

Having clicked the link, I'm newly amazed that the film's costume designer resisted putting her in a two-piece.

MUCH better than the photos in the next thread up.

it is her job to work on the bod

Oh, absolutely, and that's something I remind myself whenever I have a rare pang of Celebrity Body Envy. (And whenever I hear a celebrity endorsement of a diet program exclaiming how much they've lost, I mutter that for $XX,XXX.00, I could keep a lot of weight off, too.)

But still: wowee. Rock on, La Mirren. I'm not even envious, just knocked out.

I wish my stomach looked that good. Although, she's got an advantage in that she's never had kids.
My mom had two and hers - honestly - looks that good. I think the key that Helen and mom posess is not just fluke genetics, good diet and generally healthy life but GREAT POSTURE.

*sits up straight* I'm crap in that department and it really screws up everything.

Yes, I've had to resist saying in conversation repeatedly today "Have you seen that picture of Helen Mirrin in a bikini that's all over the internet? Wow."

Total SCILF.

*Insert picture of cartoon wolf howling with his eyes popping out Here*

(No turning back now, 'Pode!)

Eh, I didn't look half that good even before I got pregnant. I strive for the curvaceous kind of hot :)

Mirren seems like a great person.

But yeah, different species, celebrities, as much as the media wants us all to hate ourselves into ever-increasing consumption, comparing ourselves to them.

Helen looks fantastic. She is beautiful. I'm not comparing. I love myself. But, I'm going to make it my job to look like Helen before I reach her age. Bring on the nutritionists and the other support staff! I'm not an actor but let's still bring it on! I've got 27 years! There's enough time!

Yes yes, there is enough time! If I start doing crunches now, I might make it to a tummy like that by the time I'm her age!

i love Helen Mirren but it never occurred to me to compare myself to her. Still doesn't.
i respect her, think she'd be great to hang out with and terrific fun to talk to, but none of that particularly has to do with how she looks. She looks great, but i just see it as an extension of who she is, a fascinating person.

rainbaby's definitely right. But as someone who really has to work at making myself work out and try to stay in shape, I also like having those ideals visible in people like her. Not that I hold myself to the same expectations, given my very different resources (and genes...) but I find it an inspiration to see someone who's fit, not sick-skinny, and older, but clearly still valuing her body.

Wow. just wow. I have a lot of respect for her, anyway. She must do some serious working out.

People who look good when they're old are simply perverse. One of the upsides to aging is that you no longer have to 'keep up appearances' and indulge in all that silly grooming and exercise. I'm looking forward to letting myself go completely. This Mirren woman is a traitor.

I just watched Pascali's Island this week. It's not quite good enough to be called a gem, but it is a nice little arty movie set in the Aegean that has Ben Kingsley in practically every shot and Helen Mirren or Charles Dance in the remainder.

This is especially jaw-dropping when you consider that she did a perfect simulacrum of the Queen just a couple of years ago.

Anyway, just thought I would throw in my love here for the Prime Suspect series and for The Long Good Friday, one of my favorite films.

And she gets unrivalled props for appearing in this. I have to say it's NSFW, so that tells you what it is.

My mom's...a lot like that, actually. It hasn't always been easy to deal with.

What, stunningly stern? :)

My first glimpse of Helen Mirren was when she played that senior detective/sarge in a cop-show and was basicalyy the ice-queen with a mind so sharp it could cut you by her looking at you and she was hardass, since all the male cops and seniors gave her a hard time every fricking day but she kicked them in the nuts by demandinng respect with every step. That's when I fell in love. I was scared shitless of her, but oh my, what a lady.

Then it turns out when I saw a Peter Greenaway film with her that Helen wasn't at as as old as she looked under the harsh and dramatic cop-lighting of those shows, but a total babe with warmth and passion hiding underneath personifying the english rose to me in a way. It was like, holla - when did you suddenly get 15 years younger? She was buck naked in one of those films and at least twice the age of anyone one should admire physically and she still knocked my jaw down to the floor.

So in a way, I'm not at all surprised. I want her to walk with her fantastic posture, skin, and legs, belly and bust until she is as old as the Queen she portrayed, doubled. Thanks. If there are any gods please arrange that, iou.