This 1975 interview is a reminder that Helen Mirren has been fighting sexism for decades.
"I'd like you to explain what you mean by my 'equipment' in great detail."
In 1975, Dame Helen Mirren was asked — in all seriousness — if her "equipment" hindered her from being a serious actress.
The then-30-year-old Mirren had been chatting with British talk show host Michael Parkinson when the Q&A took an ... awkward turn.
"Do you find ... that this — what could be best described as your equipment — in fact, hinders you, perhaps?"Parkinson inquired.
GIF via "Parkinson."
Mirren — never one to misinterpret such a thoughtful, important question — asked that he get more specific.
"I'd like you to explain what you mean by my 'equipment' in great detail," she countered.
"Well, your physical attributes," Parkinson replied.
GIF via "Parkinson."
After Parkinson confirmed that, yes, he was referring to her body and breasts, Mirren patiently pointed out how absurd that notion really is.
"Because serious actresses can't have big bosoms, is that what you mean?" she asked. "I can't think that could necessarily be true. I mean, what a crummy performance if people are obsessed with the size of your bosom or anything else. I would hope that the performance and the [stage] play and the living relationship between all the people on stage and all the people in the audience would overcome such boring questions, really."
Last year, commenting on the sexist interview from decades ago, Mirren pointed out that the 1970s were "horrible" for women — even worse than the 1940s or 1950s, in a certain respect.
“That decade, after the sexual revolution but before feminism, was perilous for women,” Mirren said, according to The Guardian. “Men saw that as a sort of, 'Oh fantastic! We can f**k anything, however we like, whenever we like. They’re up for grabs, boys!”
The resurfaced video of Mirren's interview serves as a reminder that the actress has been fighting back against a sexist industry for decades.
And she certainly hasn't let off the gas pedal in recent years.
In an interview with "The Wrap" last year, Mirren didn't mince words when she noted how ridiculous it was that — true story — a 37-year-old actress was turned away from a role for being "too old" to play the wife of a 55-year-old man.
How did Mirren feel about that?
GIF via "The Wrap."
And in an interview with AOL Makers in July 2016, Mirren pointed out how the push for gender equality has created a new era of entitled women — and that's not at all a bad thing.
"Any woman now actually is a feminist — they don't realize it, because they're living in a world feminism has, to a certain extent, created for them. Which is very exciting, because it's entitled. That's what I love about them. They're entitled."
Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images.
It's ludicrous that Hollywood actresses still need to put up with this garbage — in casting, in interviews, and even on red carpets — but at least we have Mirren (and a growing list of women in her corner) to call B.S. on an industry that remains in dire need of change.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."