Helen on the Hollywood male

It’s all been about Helen Mirren this week

It’s all been about Helen Mirren this week. Speaking at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, the agreeably mouthy Dame launched a colourful verbal attack on the continuing sexism that dogs Hollywood.

"With all due respect to you many brilliant and successful women in this room, not much has changed in Hollywood film-making, whicht continues to worship at the altar of the 18- to 25-year-old male and his penis," Mirren said, before pausing to deliver her punchline. "Quite small, I always think."

She went on to deliver another few volleys in obscure directions: "I resent in my life the survival of some very mediocre male actors and the professional demise of some very brilliant female ones." It's not as if she's wrong, but we'd love to know the names of those mediocre actors.

Donald Clarke

Donald Clarke

Donald Clarke, a contributor to The Irish Times, is Chief Film Correspondent and a regular columnist