# In 2014, Helen Mirren was refused something she’d always wanted. The movie went on to make almost $100,000,000

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-2014-helen-mirren-was-refused-something-shed-always-wanted-the-movie-went-on-to-make-almost-100000000/
- Published: 2026-10-22T16:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-22T17:58:03+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/in-2014-helen-mirren-was-refused-something-shed-always-wanted-the-movie-went-on-to-make-almost-100000000/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Mirren wanted to speak French in the film.
- Filmmakers thought US viewers would reject subtitles.
- The film grossed almost $100 million worldwide.

## Summary

In 2014, Helen Mirren hoped to perform her role in *The Hundred-Foot Journey* in French, but the filmmakers turned her down, believing American audiences would not want subtitles. The episode highlights a compromise between Mirren’s interest in French cinema and the film’s aim to reach a broad US audience.

The light-hearted film, directed by Lasse Hallström and written by Steven Knight, follows a French restaurateur and an Indian family who open a restaurant nearby. Made by Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, it earned almost $100 million worldwide and brought Mirren a Golden Globe nomination. The article also notes that international films have since found audiences willing to watch with subtitles.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.