Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren has publicly addressed a distressing incident from last year where she was subjected to verbal abuse in a London street. The veteran performer recounted being called an “evil Zionist b****” by a man, an event that the Metropolitan Police had previously investigated as a potential hate crime.
Speaking at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy on 11th June, Mirren described the encounter as being “attacked by mistake by a man who was maybe a little over passionate or maybe mentally not quite stable,” as reported by Variety. The incident, which occurred in November 2025, saw Mirren and her husband, filmmaker Taylor Hackford, being filmed by the man. Footage circulating online showed the man making accusations about Mirren's support for Israel and its actions, to which Hackford responded by telling him to leave them alone.
While the Metropolitan Police initially announced an investigation into the footage in May, The Jewish Chronicle later reported that the case was closed without formal action following discussions with Mirren and Hackford. Mirren’s comments mark her first public statement on the matter, shedding light on her personal experience of the confrontation.
Beyond the immediate incident, Mirren used the platform to elaborate on her complex relationship with Israel. Having visited the country and volunteered at a kibbutz in the late 1960s, and more recently starring in the 2023 biopic Golda about former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, her perspective has evolved. She acknowledged her past advocacy, including signing an open letter supporting Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, but now expresses a more nuanced view.
“Evil forces are rising everywhere, even in a country like Israel,” Mirren stated, adding, “How could you possibly repeat the actions of what was done to you as people to other people?” She drew parallels between historical figures like Catherine the Great and Alexander the Great, who gained power through conquest, and current events, expressing her devastation that “the evil is always lurking, waiting to take over, even in a place like Israel.” This reflects a deep personal struggle with the ongoing conflict and the actions of the Israeli state, despite her long-standing connections and friendships within the country's artistic and intellectual communities.