‘Fast 8’ cast adds another classy dame, Oscar winner Helen Mirren

By Adam Poltrack June 15, 2016

fast 8 helen mirren red movie image — Summit Entertainment

Don’t let her age and dignified demeanor fool you, Helen Mirren has no problem playing the role of kick-ass chick. As anyone who saw Red and/or Red 2 can tell you, the woman who once played the Queen of England is not to be trifled with.

With that in mind, ScreenCrush reports that the veteran actress will soon add “burning some serious rubber” to her already lengthy résumé, as she has joined the cast of Fast 8. While it’s unclear who she’ll play or exactly what she’ll be doing in the film, a recent interview with Elle let the cat out of the big. Here’s a snippet of what she had to say: “… I’m about to do Fast and Furious 8. But that’s for the fun of it. So maybe that’s what I want … some fun and some relevant, serious, important movies.”

Let’s be honest, Mirren could do popcorn flicks for the rest of her life and still have gravitas to spare. If she wants to have a little fun and dip her toe into something new, more power to her.

If you’re wondering how Fast 8 was able to land such an esteemed actress, look no further than the franchise’s chief star: Vin Diesel. Apparently, Mirren is a huge fan of the actor and has expressed her fondness for him and for the Fast & Furious franchise in the past.

Of course, she won’t be the only Oscar-winning actress on set, as Charlize Theron (Cipher) is also a part of this formidable cast. Quite a one-two punch for the eighth installment of a franchise.

Fast 8 also stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham, Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), and, of course, Diesel. F. Gary Gray is directing the film, which is set to hit theaters April 14, 2017.

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