How to Get Acting Roles After 50 Like Helen Mirren

While many people love to complain that Hollywood doesn't reward its older actresses, others point to women like Helen Mirren. Mirren has a long and varied career in the acting world, with some of her greatest roles coming after she turned 50. Helen proves that great actresses can find work, even after they pass the half-century mark.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Realize that sex appeal doesn't necessarily mean sex. Mirren told "Time" magazine that the beauty and sex appeal she shows on screen comes from a mixture of things she experienced in life.
2. Show your diversity by acting on TV and in the movies. Though she is best known for her work on the big screen, Helen has also picked up a number of awards for her work on the small screen including acting in the television movie "Prime Suspect."
3. Focus on creating a varied career from the moment you start acting. As she told "USA Today" in 2007, Mirren didn't just appear overnight but spent over 40 years toiling in the acting world before achieving success in the United States.
4. Be humble about your acting success. One of the reasons her co-stars love her and movie studios keep hiring her is because Helen keeps a level head on her shoulders, even when others introduce her as "Dame Helen Mirren."
5. Act forcefully on screen, no matter what the role might be. From playing the Queen of England to Nicholas Cage's mother, Mirren always shows a powerful presence.
6. Make others understand how ambitious you are. Helen Mirren isn't willing to sit back and let the roles come to her; she fights for the roles she truly wants.