Helen Mirren is unrecognisable as Golda Meir in new political drama
Social media users called the transformation “stunning”.
A first look image of Helen Mirren as Golda Meir has landed - and it's definitely got the internet talking.
Mirren will star as the former Israeli prime minister in Guy Nattiv’s upcoming biopic Golda, which recently began shooting in London.
Written by Nicholas Martin (Florence Foster Jenkins), the film is set during the Yom Kippur War (1973), when Egypt, Syria and Jordan launched a coordinated attack on Israel to recover territory lost during the Six-Day War in 1967.
Golda delves into the great responsibilities resting on Meir’s shoulders and the controversial decisions she made amid infighting from her all-male cabinet.
Speaking about taking on the role, Mirren said: “Golda Meir was a formidable, intransigent and powerful leader.
“It is a great challenge to portray her at the most difficult moment of her extraordinary life. I only hope I do her justice!”
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Talking about Mirren’s casting, director Nattiv said: “I have long been an admirer of the great Helen Mirren. She has melted so brilliantly into Golda Meir’s character with incredible talent, intelligence, depth and emotion, doing justice to the richness and complexity of this incredible woman.”
In the first look image shared of Mirren as Meir on social media, fans called the actor’s transformation “stunning” and agreed that Mirren was unrecognisable in the role.
Camille Cottin (Netflix’s Call My Agent) has also joined the cast and is set to star as Lou Kaddar, Meir’s devoted personal assistant, who stood by her side throughout the war.
In addition, Rami Heuberger (Schindler’s List) will play minister of defence Moshe Dayan and Lior Ashkenazi (Entebbe) will portray chief of staff David Elazar.
The cast will be rounded out by Ellie Piercy (Black Mirror), Ed Stoppard (Judy), Dvir Benedek, Rotem Keinan, Dominic Mafham, Ben Caplan, Emma Davies and Kit Rakusen.
It was announced back in July 2021 that Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures had obtained US rights to the film, in a deal negotiated by ICM Independent and CAA Media Finance.
The film is currently shooting for six weeks on location in both Israel and London.
A release date for the film has yet to be officially announced. In the meantime, visit our Movies hub for the latest news and features. Looking for something to watch tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
