Dame Helen Mirren is one tough cookie. But 1923 fans already knew that. The Oscar-winning actress, who stars alongside Harrison Ford in the Yellowstone prequel series, revealed that she broke a bone while performing a stunt in the upcoming DC superhero film Shazam! Fury of the Gods, a sequel to the 2019 Zachary Levi-led superhero pic.
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Mirren dropped by The Graham Norton Show on Feb. 24 to talk all things Shazam!, telling host Graham Norton that she's not "a big superhero-y type person." Even so, the legendary British actress isn't afraid to get her hands dirty on set. While filming an action scene for her role as the goddess Hespera in the Shazam! sequel, Mirren broke her pinky finger and proceeded to... grin and bear it? Instantly iconic:
"I was incredibly brave and didn't say anything because I wanted to be a real stunty person," Mirren said as the audience laughed. "So, I didn't complain."
Fellow guest Pedro Pascal, star of HBO's The Last of Us and The Mandalorian (which will debut its third season March 1 on Disney+), joked that he tends to hand off the more dangerous stunt work to the trained professionals lest they get "bored" on set. Famously, one of the stunt performers frequently inside the Mando suit is John Wayne's grandson, Brendan Wayne.
Of course, Shazam! isn't Mirren's first go at action fare. The actress made her debut in the Fast and Furious franchise with her role as Queenie in 2021's F9: The Fast Saga. She's set to return to the car racing franchise with this year's Fast X.
In other words, Mirren has proved her mettle. But when it comes to explaining the convoluted plot of a superhero epic involving magic and mythology, the actress admits she's no help at all.
"Oh gosh, don't ask me," Mirren responded when Norton asked what Shazam! was about.
When you're a certified legend like Helen Mirren, do you even really need to read the script?
All episodes of 1923 are now streaming on Paramount+, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods will hit theaters March 17.
