Hollywood star Dame Helen Mirren has condemned Michael Winner’s attitude towards women, calling him "sexist".
Hollywood star Dame Helen Mirren has condemned Michael Winner’s attitude towards women, calling him "sexist".
The Queen star who had met Winner once in 1964, when she was auditioning for a role in one of his movies, accuses the English film producer/director of treating her like “a piece of meat” when she was an aspiring actress.Mirren claims Winner was "incredibly insulting" towards her, asking her to turn around and show off her body during the casting call.
Now more than 40 years after it took place, Mirren is still furious with the Death Wish filmmaker, remembering the horror of the audition.
"I was mortified and incredibly angry. I thought it was insulting and sexist, and I don't think any actress should be treated like that - like a piece of meat - at all... I was so angry... so angry. I still am," Contactmusic quoted her as saying.
On the other hand, Winner has disputed her claims and insists the comments were made under different circumstances, alleging he had been asked to speak to Mirren about some unflattering portfolio pictures.
"The only time I ever met Helen Mirren it was as a favour to her agent Margaret Johnston... She rang me and said she had photographs of Helen in which she had these enormous sagging boobs. She thought the photographs wouldn't help her get work,” Winner said.
"(Johnston said to me): 'I can't talk any sense into her - see what you can do.' I saw Helen and as I had been instructed to deal with the situation of her breasts, I did indeed ask her to stand up.
“I don't remember asking her to turn around but if I did I wasn't being serious."I was only doing what the agent asked me - and for this I get reviled! Helen's a lovely person... but her memory of that moment is a little flawed," he added.
Ever since the incident happened, Mirren and Winner have not spoken to one another.
Source-ANI
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