On Tuesday in Los Angeles, Helen Mirren was graced with the presence of a very special date at her Shazam! Fury of the Gods premiere. The 77-year-old 1923 star waltzed down the iconic red carpet with her beloved grandson Basil by her side, People reports.
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The pre-teen, presumably Alexander Hackford’s son, looked suavely dressed in a blue button-down with black jeans and sneakers. Similarly stylish was Dame Helen Mirren who had her curly locks swept to one side, coiffed by a simple black headband that complemented her elegant lace gown. Despite not having any biological kids of her own, the actress has created a close bond with Taylor Hackford’s two sons Rio and Alexander. Photos of Mirren and her grandson were shared on Twitter.
Helen Mirren, ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ star, brings grandson to red carpet premiere for sweet family outing https://t.co/jrpkWy26MN
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 16, 2023
Helen Mirren plays one of the villains in the superhero sequel
In the long-awaited sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Dame Helen Mirren is cast as Hesperia, a powerful antagonist and one of The Daughters of Atlas. Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler round out this malevolent trio playing Kalypso and Anthea respectively, coming to Earth in search of what was pilfered from them many years ago – magic.
Zachary Levi and Asher Angel return in the sequel as they portray Billy Baston, otherwise known as Shazam. Levi portrays an older version of Billy who he transforms into when assuming his heroic character.
Mirren opened up about some of the challenges of being in a superhero film presented
Mirren revealed some of the on-set shenanigans for the new superhero film on The Graham Norton show. “We are angry goddesses wearing unbelievably heavy costumes. It was very hot and uncomfortable and in fact, Lucy [Liu] said at the end of the first day’s shooting, ‘They are trying to kill us,’ in all seriousness,” she quipped.
The actress divulged that she decided to forgo a stunt double when performing certain action scenes in the superhero sequel. Although her decision didn’t always yield desirable results, it seemed like an essential risk to take.
“I did some of my own stunts, but I broke my finger,” Mirren explained. “I was incredibly brave and didn’t say anything or complain because I wanted to be a real ‘stunty’ person.” Mirren expressed her enthusiasm for the film. She claimed she was drawn to its “sweet and funny” vibe after having watched the first Shazam. “I am not a big superhero type person, but I loved the idea of it and happily signed up for the second one,” Mirren explained. “It is great.”
Mirren will return as Magdalene “Queenie” Shaw in the highly anticipated Fast X, set to release May 19. Shazam! Fury of the Gods drops on March 17th.
