World

Helen Mirren: I loved cocaine

by Dave Keating | September 1, 2008 at 02:41 am

289 views | 0 Recommendations | 3 comments

Dame Helen Mirrin, who won an Oscar for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in 'The Queen', has revealed in an interview with GQ magazine that she led quite a partying lifestyle when she was a young actress in Britain. She tried many different drugs including cocain, but stopped once she learned who benefits from the drug's sale.

Helen Mirren has revealed she used to take cocaine as a young party-going actress.

The star who won an Oscar for The Queen said she loved the drug - but turned her back on it because of a Nazi war criminal.

Dame Helen, 63, was asked if she had ever taken illegal substances, and replied: "A bit of dope when I was younger... A bit of cocaine.

"I loved coke. I never did a lot, just a little bit at parties.

"What ended it for me was when they caught Klaus Barbie, the Butcher of Lyons, in the early 80s.

"He was in South America and living off the proceeds as a cocaine baron. I never touched it again.

"I grasped the full horrifying structure of what brings coke to our parties in Britain."

11 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Kazi Noor

at 08:00 on September 2nd, 2008

thx

Kazi Noor has contributed a photo to this story.

diane_rooney

at 08:28 on September 2nd, 2008

This shot was taken at Disneyland at the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest in 2006. While not in the film, Ms. Mirren was one of many celebrities who attended the premiere.

diane_rooney has contributed a photo to this story.