Dame Helen Mirren has been honoured with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at a special Golden Globes ceremony in Beverly Hills. The 80-year-old British actress received the award during the inaugural Golden Eve event, broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ on Thursday evening ahead of the main Golden Globes ceremony.
Presented by her '1923' co-star Harrison Ford, who described her as a 'bad ass' with an 'undeniable screen presence', Dame Helen became the 71st recipient of the award. Ford bowed as he praised her talent, saying: 'I for one, bow to her talent.'
In her acceptance speech, Dame Helen reflected on the award, stating: 'The DeMille Award was described to me as a career recognition. But I prefer to think of it as a life lived, a life survived, a life enjoyed, a life sweated, and a life carried on, hopefully.' She added that she sees it as 'an ongoing reflection of my career rather than a eulogy.'
Dame Helen, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in 'The Queen', has also won three Golden Globes for film and television work. She is an Emmy, SAG, Bafta and Tony-winning actor, and was made a dame in 2003 for her artistic achievements.
She joins a prestigious list of DeMille Award recipients including Sidney Poitier, Meryl Streep, Barbra Streisand, Viola Davis, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks and Jeff Bridges. The main Golden Globes ceremony is scheduled for January 11, hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser.
