With a rifle in her hands, Helen Mirren brings steely determination to her role as Cara Dutton in “1923,” the latest chapter of Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” saga that continues to break viewership records.
The second season premiere drew more than 5.4 million viewers – the biggest original premiere in Paramount+ history. The series transports viewers back to a harsh and unforgiving American West of a century ago.
The 79-year-old Oscar winner embraces the challenging role of the Dutton family matriarch alongside co-star Harrison Ford, confronting everything from mountain lions to the harsh realities of frontier life.
“It’s kind of the American ‘War and Peace,'” Mirren said in an interview. “It’s kind of looking at the big movement of history in America, hopefully with honesty and truth, and not shying away from the incredible racism, the violence, the brutality, the courage.”
Unlike many Hollywood westerns of the past, “1923” avoids romanticizing the era.
“I think it’s a period that has been looked at over and over again, and romanticized, and whitewashed, certainly throughout the ’50s and ’60s,” Mirren noted.
To prepare for the role, Mirren attended “Cowboy Camp” where she overcame her fear of horses and learned to drive a horse-drawn buggy.
The series reunites Mirren with Ford nearly 40 years after they first worked together on “The Mosquito Coast.” At that time, Mirren was already celebrated for her Shakespearean stage roles in Britain.
“I absolutely adore him,” Mirren said of Ford. “His trajectory and the way he is is so remarkable and a lovely thing to be in the presence of.”
Mirren’s illustrious career includes an Academy Award for “The Queen,” three Golden Globes, five Emmys and a Tony Award. Her versatility has allowed her to portray characters ranging from an embittered housekeeper in “Gosford Park” to a hard-boiled assassin in “Red” and even the narrator in Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.”
When asked about her attraction to strong female characters, Mirren explained, “Your dream as an actress is to find a role that – especially as a woman, incidentally – that has agency and passion and courage.”
She particularly values portraying the complex relationship between Cara and Jacob Dutton.
“They’ve faced so many challenges together over the years. I love to see that relationship on the screen,” she said.
Off screen, Mirren has her own American connection. She is married to American director Taylor Hackford and became a U.S. citizen in 2017.
“They do a lovely thing when you arrive in America with an American passport. They say, ‘welcome home,'” she recalled. “The first time I presented my passport and he said ‘welcome home,’ it was a fantastic, wonderful moment. It made me cry.”
