Photo: Jeff Vespa © WireImage.com

Born Illiana Lydia Petrovna Mironova in Chiswick, London, England; daughter of a Russian aristocrat who had joined his father who was stranded in London after the 1917 Russian Revolution; educated at the National Youth Theatre and the International Centre for Theatre Research, Paris. Leading English stage and screen actress who has worked with acclaimed theater director Peter Brook and made her film debut as Hermia in Peter Hall's screen adaptation of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (1968). Mirren has brought intelligence and intensity to her roles in films such as Pat O'Connor's CAL (1984) and Peter Greenaway's THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER (1989). One of the finest performances of her career was for TV, in the BBC miniseries "Prime Suspect" (1991). As Jane Tennison, a middle-aged police detective doggedly tracking a serial killer as her own domestic life crumbles, Mirren gave a brave, compelling performance that struck a triumphant blow for the realistic representation of women on screen. Mirren won 29 major awards for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in THE QUEEN (2006), including all the awards that are considered the biggest, with the exception of Cannes - which did not offer her a nomination. Some of Mirren's other notable screen credits include HAMLET (1976), CALIGULA (1979), HUSSY and THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (both 1980), EXCALIBUR (1981), 2010 (1984), WHITE NIGHTS, HEAVENLY PURSUITS and COMING THROUGH (all 1985), THE MOSQUITO COAST (1986), PASCALI'S ISLAND (1988), WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD (1991), THE HAWK (1993), THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE (1994), SOME MOTHER'S SON (1996), CRITICAL CARE (1997), THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1997, voice - the Queen), THE PASSION OF AYN RAND and TEACHING MRS. TINGLE (both 1999), GREENFINGERS and HAPPY BIRTHDAY (both 2000), THE PLEDGE, NO SUCH THING , HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOSFORD PARK and LAST ORDERS (all 2001), CALENDAR GIRLS (2003), THE CLEARING and RAISING HELEN (both 2004), SHADOWBOXER (2005), THE QUEEN (2006), NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS (2007), INKHEART and ANGEL MAKERS (both scheduled for release in 2008), and LOVE RANCH and STATE OF PLAY (both scheduled for release in 2009). Mirren lived with director Taylor Hackford in Los Angeles from 1986; they were married in 1997. Her comment on the Academy Awards®? "It's the crême-de-la-crême of bullshit." Alleged to have turned down the honor of becoming a Commander of the British Empire in 1996, Mirren accepted a damehood in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June, 2003.  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 1994: THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 2001: GOSFORD PARK  Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role 2006: THE QUEEN 3 nominations, 1 Award