Mirren’s poser: If I can’t play Golda, can Jews be gentiles?
DAME HELEN MIRREN has responded to doubts over her casting as Golda Meir by questioning whether this means Jewish actors should be barred from playing non-Jewish roles.
The Academy award-winning actress was criticised for accepting the lead role in the upcoming biopic about Israel’s first female prime minister – because she is not Jewish.
Dame Maureen Lipman said last month that “ethnicity should be prioritised” in the casting for Golda, directed by Guy Nattiv, because the “ethnicity or gender of the character drives the role”.
Dame Helen responded to the criticism by telling the Daily Mail that the question of her appropriateness for the role had also occurred to her, before she accepted it.
The 76-year-old admitted there was “a discussion to be had” about the suitability of certain actors for certain roles, admitting that “there is a lot of terrible unfairness in my profession”.
“It was certainly a question that I had, before I accepted the role. [Meir] is a very important person in Israeli history,” she said, adding: “I said, ‘Look Guy, I’m not Jewish, and if you want to think about that, and decide to go in a different direction, no hard feelings. I will absolutely understand.’”
However, she pointed out that this approach to casting raises other questions too, saying: “You know, if someone who’s not Jewish can’t play Jewish, does someone who’s Jewish play someone who’s not Jewish?”
Dame Maureen, 75, has previously claimed that the challenge of acting was to become the character you are playing regardless of background.
But Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, she said that actors who shared the background of their character should be looked at first.
On the portrayal of Meir specifically, she highlighted that “the Jewishness of the character is so integral”, adding that if the “religion fires the character,” then actors from that religious group should be considered first.
Responding to Dame Maureen’s criticism, Dame Helen said: “I do believe it is a discussion that has to be had – it’s utterly legitimate.”
“I very much respect Maureen. And I love her as an actress, absolutely.
She added: “I’d love to bump into her and sit and have a cup of tea and talk about it. My only real fear is if I’m really bad as Golda... in which case, I’ll be toast.”