Highlights

• Despite their 30-year age difference, Helen Mirren and Russell Brand formed a bond and have a funny, peculiar friendship.
• Over the years, they have gained a mutual admiration and respect for each other.
• Helen Mirren once defended Russell Brand during the "Sachsgate" scandal and praised his intelligence and creativity.

When you think about celebrity pairings, you may not immediately think about Helen Mirren and Russell Brand. The Oscar-winning actress and the comedian Russell Brand formed a bond after filming The Tempest together in 2009.

Whilst the Shakespearean adaptation failed to set the big screen alight, it did spark a platonic love between the two British actors. Brand even dedicated a whole chapter of his autobiographical book, Booky Wook 2, to her, titling it "Mummy Helen."

They would appear in Arthur together, where Russell Brand reinvents the role of billionaire Arthur Bach, originally played by Dudley Moore in 1981. Helen Mirren plays his lifelong nanny Hobson, who tries to keep him out of trouble.

Why Helen Mirren And Russell Brand's Friendship Works

Despite the 30-year age difference, Russel Brand and Helen Mirren's friendship somehow works. The two famous Brits struck up an immediate bond because they both grew up in Essex. “We have a peculiar kind of relationship, but the part of the world we come from is in our DNA. He’s an Essex boy, I’m an Essex girl and we relish that.”

“It’s a funny friendship. It’s not a friendship where we go out to dinner together or I go round to his house. But whenever we’re together, it’s as if we’d met at another time, in another universe,” Helen Mirren added

Helen Mirren And Vin Diesel Have A Surprisingly Close Relationship

Russell Brand has praised the actress, who won an Academy Award for playing Queen Elizabeth II. "She is an incredible personality, very beautiful: ordinary when she needs to be, remarkable when required."

Brand admits he was initially very coy around Mirren on set. Speaking ahead of the Sydney premiere of Arthur, he admitted: "She's a Dame, a lady."

"I was naturally quite respectful. I was shy when I met her," the Get Him To The Greek star explained, "I really love her and respect her tremendously."

Was There Ever A Romantic Connection Between Helen Mirren And Russell Brand?

Although the pair love to flirt together, their relationship has never been more than just friends. In a 2011 interview with Stylist, Helen Mirren was asked if the comedian ever "tried it on with her."

"I was hoping that he would," the Oscar-winning actress replied, "but he never did. We did get into bed with each other, didn't we? I mean, we did a scene in bed." Russell Brand was married to Katy Perry when the pair filmed Arthur together. Mirren has been married to Taylor Hackford since 1997.

Russell Brand's Interview On The View Took An Emotional Twist After Whoopi Goldberg Brought Up His Past Issues

Helen Mirren has admitted that she was "seduced" by the Bedtimes Stories star to appear in Arthur. "I defy male, female or age-appropriate child to spend two hours with Russell and not be completely charmed," she said. Brand has been married to blogger and former restauranteur Laura Gallacher since 2018.

The admiration is clearly mutual between the pair: "We had a wonderful relationship, is the truth of it," Brand explained. "I'm a bit in love with Helen. I was very excited about the possibility of working with her."

Russell Brand And Helen Mirren Share Gifts

Despite their non-romantic relationship, Russell Brand gave Helen Mirren a rather personal gift. The Calendar Girls revealed that she has a pair of Russell Brand's underpants. She revealed Brand gave them to her when they finished filming Arthur together. Mirren said, "I am the proud owner of a pair of Russell's yellow underpants."

In the poorly-received movie, Brand donned nothing but black socks and colorful briefs for a wedding scene. He explained how they ended up with the acting dame, "On the last day of filming I was running late, so I just shoved on a yellow pair of American Apparel underpants. At the end of filming I rushed back to my dressing room and spotted a black pair and thought I'd change."

He reveals he left his dressing room and came face-to-face with the 1923 star. "That's when I heard my voice saying: 'Would you like these?'"

When asked why Mirren accepted his pants, he responds with, "Because she was being polite - because she's a Dame."

She also treasures a less personal gift from the star. "We're really close friends," she explained. "I wear the safety pin that he gave me around my neck all the time."

Helen Mirren Defends Russell Brand After Radio Scandal

Helen Mirren defended the British comedian for having a "great heart," to the Radio Times.

Recalling the ‘Sachsgate’ scandal which saw Brand quit his show on BBC Radio 2 in late 2008 following a media scandal, Mirren explained, “It really made me cross because that's what comedians are for and that's what makes them so valuable to us. Sometimes they step over the line but if they didn't do that they wouldn't be of the value that they are."

Russel Brand and TV presenter Jonathan Ross left vulgar messages on Fawlty Tower's actor Andrew Sach's answerphone. The pair bragged that Brand had sexual relations with the Sach's granddaughter. It caused a national scandal and almost ended the careers of Brand and Ross. Russell Brand penned an apology letter to the actor in 2014.

“[Brand's] brain is fast and brilliant and I hate it when they try to pull these people down. Being naughty – and it was schoolboy kind of behaviour – is one thing but there came a point where it was 'OK, can we please move on?" Helen defended him.

When asked about his critically panned role in Arthur, she continued to defend him. “He’s really smart, kind, hard working and he’s out there as well. I don’t know how he juggles being all those with being the Russell Brand we know and love. He’s a brilliant wordsmith. He uses language in an incredibly inventive way. He’s a truly extraordinary person.”

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGiprqujmrmtecGrmKecXZ2yrbHNZqSiqqKau26%2BxKWYraGfo8Cptc9mq6utpJ18