Dame Helen Mirren joins cast of Fast 8

Mirren began campaigning for a role back in the series back in 2014, saying “I’d love to be in a Fast and Furious movie. I keep putting feelers out.”

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Dame Helen Mirren attends the GREAT British Film Reception Presented by Jaguar Land Rover and Virgin Atlantic at The British Residence in Los Angeles on February 28, 2014. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Jaguar Land Rover)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Dame Helen Mirren attends the GREAT British Film Reception Presented by Jaguar Land Rover and Virgin Atlantic at The British Residence in Los Angeles on February 28, 2014. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Jaguar Land Rover)
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After
publicly campaigning for a role in a
Fast and Furious move back in 2014, Dame Helen Mirren finally got what she wanted – she’s joining the cast of
Fast 8. Yes, Helen Mirren, who won an Oscar for her role as Elizabeth II in
The Queen, starring alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson,
Vin Diesel, and Jason Statham. Her reason for joining a popcorn action flick is brilliant: she just wanted to drive.


“I’ve always rather loved driving,”
Mirren told Elle. “I said, ‘I’ll be in it, but only if I’m allowed to drive if I do drive in it.'” That gels with what she told
The Huffington Post
back in 2014. Apparently, it was driving a
Land Rover through the Scottish countryside in
The Queen (a scene based on the
actual Queen) that stoked her passion for on-camera driving.


“I always love stunt driving. I do as much driving on my movies as I can. If there’s driving stuff to be done, I always beg or insist on doing it myself.” Little-known fact: Helen Mirren, stunt driver. “I’d love to be in a
Fast and Furious movie. I keep putting feelers out. I’d love to do
Fast and Furious. I love Vin Diesel as well. He doesn’t understand, I think he’s so cool.”


The news was confirmed by the official
Fast and Furious Twitter account. Mirren hasn’t let slip what role she’ll be playing in the film, expected out in April 2017. According to the movie’s
Wikipedia page she plays an ex-CIA agent names Magdalena. Hobbs, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s character, brings her in to help combat Cipher, the villainess played by fellow Oscar-winner Charlize Theron. So yeah, Fast 8 now has two Oscar-winning actresses attached to it. We live in a weird world.


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Helen Mirren Joins Fast & Furious 8