Quote Of The Day By Helen Mirren: 'We've Got To Stop Being Polite...'

Helen Mirren has always lived her life on her own terms, and this has been evident since the beginning of her childhood. Mirren was born in July 1945 as Ilyena Lydia Mironoff. Her father eventually had his Russian surname swapped to the more English-sounding 'Mirren' in order to fit in with British society better. Although Mirren felt from a tender age that her calling was in acting, her parents thought otherwise. Despite being accepted into the National Youth Theatre at 18, Mirren also trained to become a teacher to please her mother, but never truly stopped her acting dreams.

And it was a good thing she kept the faith, as her acting talents soon drew attention and she earned rave reviews as Cleopatra in a 1965 youth theatre performance of "Antony and Cleopatra." Mirren had her first major film role in 1969, starring in "Age of Consent." But her big film breakthrough came in the 1980s, first with "The Long Good Friday" in 1980 and then with 1984's "Cal," which bagged Mirren a BAFTA nomination. 

Mirren also made it big on television through "Prime Suspect," receiving a Golden Globe nomination, two Emmy wins, and four other Emmy nominations. She netted more awards over the years, from two Oscar nominations for "The Madness of King George" and "Gosford Park" to an Oscar win for "The Queen." Mirren has continued to remain active on the Hollywood scene, most recently earning another Golden Globe nomination in 2026 for her work on the crime drama "MobLand."

Mirren got to where she was by being unapologetically herself, and never making herself smaller to appease others in the industry. This is why we've selected Mirren's quote as our quote of the day.

"We've got to stop being polite. If I ever had children, which I don't, the first thing I'd teach a girl of mine is the words "f— off." Helen Mirren spoke these words during a segment of the Actress Roundtable by "The Hollywood Reporter," sharing her thoughts alongside industry veterans Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jane Fonda. Mirren had praised Lawrence for her Lenny Letter essay on the gender pay gap issue rampant in Hollywood, though she believed that Lawrence should just say what she wanted to say without caring about offending others.

And it seems Mirren does live by her words, as she demonstrated way back in 1975. During an infamous BBC interview with Michael Parkinson, Mirren was subjected to an onslaught of frankly misogynistic questions, with one question pointedly implying that her body had something to do with her career. Mirren answered with grace rather than backing down, showing everyone just how it's done.

As someone who's experienced the highs and lows of Hollywood for decades, it's no surprise that Mirren has come to understand how best to navigate it as a woman. The "Catherine the Great" star's words encourage you to not be afraid of speaking your mind and to stop caring what others think of you. In a way, Mirren is also pushing us to be the most honest, straightforward version of ourselves.

Mirren's words aren't only relevant to Hollywood, however, but to almost every facet of our lives. From our workplace relationships to the relationships we have at home, Mirren thinks there is no shame in telling others what you think, rather than regret not ever saying it years down the line. Although being considerate of others is an admirable thing to do, there are just some moments where you have to put it to the side and make a stand. 

• "I don't believe that if you do good, good things will happen. Everything is completely accidental and random. Sometimes bad things happen to very good people and sometimes good things happen to bad people. But at least if you try to do good things, then you're spending your time doing something worthwhile."
• "I am so happy that I didn't have children. Well, you know, because I've had freedom. And I've so loved my freedom."
• "I don't think it's good to try and change anyone. The trick and the mystery — of relationships and life in general — is to learn to live with the bits you don't like."
• "As you reach each age, you gain the understanding you need to deal with it and enjoy it."
• "It was never my intention to marry anybody. Economics are basically the only reason to get married, but I'm very glad I did it."