Helen Mirren has criticised the James Bond film series, saying its portrayal of women is rooted in “profound sexism”. Although she admires actors including Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, she has never liked the franchise’s treatment of female characters as largely sexualised figures.

Her views reflect her wider concern about women being given meaningful, autonomous roles on screen. Mirren has previously challenged passive characterisation, including when she played Victoria in The Long Good Friday, and argues that Bond’s depiction diminishes the contributions of women in the Secret Service, despite the series becoming somewhat more progressive over time.