June 2, 2025, 10:27 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Whether as Queen Elizabeth II, Sofia Tolstoy, or housekeeper Mrs. Wilson, Helen Mirren cannot be accused of lacking versatility. In acting, it’s not just talent that counts but also appearance. In a recent interview, the British actress suggested that her decision to forgo a nose job has contributed to landing these intriguing roles.
Today, we read a lot about so-called Pretty Privilege, advantages one automatically gains by having an appearance that aligns with beauty ideals. Helen Mirren could have become a true Barbie through a nose job in her twenties and possibly experienced different treatment. Here, we reveal why she still decided against it.
Overview
Helen Mirren Was Recommended a Nose Job in Her Twenties
As reported by People Magazine, Helen Mirren shared during a roundtable organized by the Hollywood Reporter with other actresses about a bold suggestion. In her mid-twenties, she was advised as an aspiring actress to have her nose operated on.
“Someone said, ‘You won’t get jobs if you don’t get your nose done,'” Mirren recalled. She explained that she was against it. Her argument: “I didn’t want to be a pretty actress anyway. I consciously chose not to be so pretty.”
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Success Despite or Because of Her Nose?
And behold: The now 79-year-old Helen Mirren can proudly look back on an incredible career—even without a surgical nose procedure. In 2007, she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in the biopic “The Queen.” Especially when it comes to stories of real people, a nose bridge that doesn’t curve at the perfect angle is all the more believable! And Elizabeth II was not a supermodel but a monarch.
“I’ve Always Had a Problem with the Word’ Beauty'”
As Helen Mirren revealed at a L’Oréal Paris 2024 event, beauty for her is primarily associated with authenticity. “I’ve always had a problem with the word ‘beauty’ because it implies that you want to be outwardly beautiful,” said the Brit. It’s about so much more, like a positive, honest, and happy aura. This doesn’t arise from trying to be beautiful.
The experienced actress feels particularly beautiful when she is one with nature, reading a book in the bathtub, or enjoying a cocktail with her husband. It’s the simple moments that bring out this beauty within oneself.
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Increasing Beauty Procedures – Helen Mirren’s Wake-Up Call
In a world where beauty surgeries are experiencing a resurgence and are normalized at an early age, Helen Mirren’s statement is an important wake-up call. In Germany alone, the number of cosmetic surgeries has approximately doubled from 2011 to 2021.
The enviable career of the nearly 80-year-old Mirren has produced countless awards despite—or because of—her authentic look. Rejecting cosmetic surgery shows how important it is to listen to your gut and find confidence within yourself. Whether one chooses for or against external changes should be free from value judgments; after all, everyone can have individual motivations for procedures. It’s only sad when one acts against their instinct and behaves in a way that is externally driven.