Dame Helen Mirren was honored by Variety at the 2016 Power of Women Luncheon on Friday held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Each year the publication honors philanthropic women in the entertainment industry who have made a significant difference. Mirren was selected for her work with The Stuttering Association of the Young and she chose South African director Gavin Hood to present her with her award.
Variety Latino spoke to the Academy Award Winning actress about the power of women in Hollywood. She coyly said, “I’m not actually a very powerful woman at all. I wield no power whatsoever except hopefully being who I am and having come through life. I think the power of women in Hollywood is a far wider thing than the literal power of being a CEO of a business or something like that. Hollywood and Hollywood’s product is a very powerful thing. It can influence, it can change people’s minds. It has been seen as a mechanism for this for a long time.”
Other honorees included singer Miley Cyrus, director Ava DuVerney, actress Laverne Cox, fashion designer Georgina Chapman, actress Scarlett Johansson, and Spanx creator Sara Blakely.
