Helen is one of Britain's most celebrated classical actresses. She has played a wide range of Shakespearean heroines, yet is best known to international audiences for her portrayal of Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison, the passionate and dedicated lead character in the award winning British television series Prime Suspect.

Helen was born on July 26, 1945 in London as Ilyena Lydia Mironoff. Her father was a member of an aristocratic Russian military family who happened to be stationed in England at the time of the Russian Revolution. A former violinist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, her father worked as taxi driver, freelance musician and driving instructor.

Helen claims to have known at the age of six that she not only wanted to become an actress, she wanted to become a great actress "in the old fashioned and traditional sense". After a brief attempt to accommodate her parents' wishes by attending teachers' training college, Helen quit to join the theatre.

In 2007 she won the Academy Award as best actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 movie The Queen.

Helen's closest family include an older sister Kate, a younger brother Peter, a beloved nephew Simon, and husband Director/Producer Taylor Hackford.

Filmography

• National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
• Inkheart (2008)
• Prime Suspect: The Final Act (2006)
• The Queen (2006)
• Elizabeth I (2005)
• Shadowboxer (2005)
• Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula (2005)
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
• "Third Watch" (1 episode, 2005)
• Pride (2004)
• Raising Helen (2004)
• "Frasier" (1 episode, 2004)
• The Clearing (2004)
• Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness (2003)
• Calendar Girls (2003)
• The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003)
• Door to Door (2002)
• Georgetown (2002)
• Gosford Park (2001)
• Last Orders (2001)
• Happy Birthday (2001)
• On the Edge (2001)
• No Such Thing (2001)
• The Pledge (2001)
• Greenfingers (2000)
• Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)
• "French and Saunders" (1 episode, 1999)
• The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999)
• The Prince of Egypt (1998)
• "Tracey Takes On..." (1 episode, 1998)
• Painted Lady (1997)
• Critical Care (1997)
• Prime Suspect 5: Errors of Judgment (1996)
• Losing Chase (1996)
• Some Mother's Son (1996)
• Prime Suspect 4: Scent of Darkness (1995)
• Prime Suspect 4: Inner Circles (1995)
• Prime Suspect 4: The Lost Child (1995)
• The Snow Queen (1995)
• The Madness of King George (1994)
• Prince of Jutland (1994)
• Prime Suspect 3 (1993)
• The Hawk (1993)
• "The Hidden Room" (1 episode, 1993)
• Prime Suspect 2 (1992)
• Where Angels Fear to Tread (1991)
• Prime Suspect (1991)
• The Comfort of Strangers (1990)
• Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990)
• Red King, White Knight (1989)
• The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
• When the Whales Came (1989)
• Pascali's Island (1988)
• "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1 episode, 1987)
• Cause célèbre (1987)
• The Mosquito Coast (1986)
• "The Twilight Zone" (1 episode, 1985)
• White Nights (1985)
• Coming Through (1985)
• Heavenly Pursuits (1985)
• 2010 (1984)
• Cal (1984)
• Cymbeline (1982)
• "Play for Today" (2 episodes, 1979-1982)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (1981/I) (TV)
• "BBC2 Playhouse" (1 episode, 1981)
• Excalibur (1981)
• The Long Good Friday (1980)
• The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980)
• Hussy (1980)
• S.O.S. Titanic (1979)
• Caligola (1979)
• "Oresteia" (1979)
• The Quiz Kid (1979)
• As You Like It (1978)
• "Play of the Month" (4 episodes, 1974-1977)
• The Collection (1976)
• Hamlet (1976)
• The Philanthropist (1975)
• Caesar and Claretta (1975)
• "Thriller" (1 episode, 1974)
• Bellamira (1974)
• O Lucky Man! (1973)
• Savage Messiah (1972)
• Miss Julie (1972)
• "Cousin Bette" (1971)
• The Silver Collection (1971)
• Age of Consent (1969)
• Colpo rovente (1969)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (1968)
• The Extravaganza of Golgotha Smuts (1967)
• Herostratus (1967)

Awards

• BAFTA Best Actress in a Leading Role "The Queen" 2007
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Actress "The Queen" 2007
• Golden Globe Best Actress in a Mini-Series "Elizabeth I" 2007
• Golden Globe Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) "The Queen" 2007
• National Society of Film Critics Best Actress "The Queen" 2007
• Oscar Best Actress "The Queen" 2007
• San Francisco Film Critics Circle Best Actress "The Queen" 2007
• Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role "The Queen" 2007
• Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries "Elizabeth I" 2007
• Toronto Film Critics Association Best Actress "The Queen" 2007
• Boston Society of Film Critics Best Actress "The Queen" 2006
• Emmy Best Actress in a Miniseries "Elizabeth I" 2006
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Actress "The Queen" 2006
• National Board of Review Best Actress "The Queen" 2006
• New York Film Critics Circle Best Actress "The Queen" 2006
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Acting Ensemble "Gosford Park" 2001
• Florida Film Critics Circle Best Ensemble "Gosford Park" 2001
• London Film Critics Circle Best British Supporting Actress "Gosford Park" and "Last Orders" 2001
• National Board of Review Best Acting Ensemble "Last Orders" 2001
• National Society of Film Critics "Gosford Park" 2001
• New York Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress "Gosford Park" 2001
• The Actor Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role "Gosford Park" 2001
• The Actor Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture "Gosford Park" 2001
• Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie "The Passion of Ayn Rand" 1998 - 99
• Golden Globe Best Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series "Losing Chase" 1996
• Golden Satellite Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television "Prime Suspect" 1996
• Cannes Film Festival Best Actress "The Madness of King George" 1995
• Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special "Prime Suspect: Scent of Darkness" 1995 - 96
• Outer Critics Circle Outstanding Debut of an Actress "A Month in the Country" 1995
• Theatre World "A Month in the Country" 1995
• BAFTA Best Television Actress "Prime Suspect 3" 1993
• BAFTA Best Television Actress "Prime Suspect 2" 1992
• BAFTA Best Television Actress "Prime Suspect" 1991
• Cannes Film Festival Best Actress "Cal" 1984
• Plays and Players London Theatre Critics Best Actress "Teeth 'n Smiles" and "The Seagull" 1975