Helen Mirren: "I Loved Coke," Was Date Raped & Stole as a Kid

Us Magazine - September 2, 2008 5:51 AM PDT
Story photo: Helen Mirren: Dame Helen Mirren poses in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace before attending a ceremony at the president's official residence for honorees of France's most prestigious Legion D'Honneur award on July 3, 2008 in Paris, France.Us Magazine
Helen Mirren is telling all in a new interview from using illegal drugs to getting date raped multiple times as a teen.

Of drugs, she says, "I loved coke. I never did a lot, just a little bit at parties.

But her dangerous habit didn't last long.

"What ended it for me was when they caught [Nazi war criminal] Klaus Barbie, the Butcher of Lyon, in the early 80s," Mirren, 63, tells the October issue of British GQ. "He was hiding in South America and living off the proceeds of being a cocaine baron.

"And I read that in the paper, and all the cards fell into place, and I saw how my little sniff of cocaine at a party had an absolute direct route to this ... horrible man in South America," she says.

She admits using LSD and adds that marijuana "always made me feel miserable and paranoid and unhappy. And I woke up one day and thought, 'No more of that, thank you.'"

She also comes clean about being date raped "a couple of times" as a teen in London.

"Not with excessive violence, or being hit, but rather being locked in a room and made to have sex against my will," she says.

To this day, she supports a woman's right to say "no" at any point, but says she's not always in favor of reporting attacks.

"I don't think [a woman] can have that man into court under those circumstances," Mirren says. "It's such a tricky area, isn't it? Especially if there is no violence. I mean, look at Mike Tyson. I don't think he was a rapist."

Mirren goes on to reveal that she also she stole as a kid.

"I needed to shoplift for food," the Oscar-winning actress says, adding that while she enjoyed "the accoutrements of movie star life" she still has frugal instincts, cutting her own hair and wearing dollar-store glasses.

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comments 1-10 of 11  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Kimonsweetooth
    and to future star: if u are trying to demoralise my STAR, then u haven't, instead, u just did that to urself. Just imagine.."IF" that truly happened.. at least she has still made a lot of her life, inspite of ill-fated circumstances .. To the Wirl Beyonce!!!! You shine, my star!!!!
    report abuseposted April 29, 2009 5:28 AM PDT
  • Kimonsweetooth
    and to future star: if u are trying to demoralise my STAR, then u haven't, instead, u just did that to urself. Just imagine.."IF" that truly happened.. at least she has still made a lot of her life, inspite of ill-fated circumstances .. To the Wirl Beyonce!!!! You shine, my star!!!!
    report abuseposted April 29, 2009 5:27 AM PDT
  • Kimonsweetooth
    For the young and inexperienced Lesson 1 It is not where u are coming from, but where u are headed Lesson 2 Admitting and acknowledging wrongs done, is the first step to cleansing one's conscience and moving forward knowing that not only will it benefit you, but others who may be in a familiar or worse situation. I am truly inspired !!! We need other role models to display this wonderful t
    report abuseposted April 29, 2009 5:25 AM PDT
  • __A_YAHOO_USER__
    beyonce father raped her when she was nine years old.i'm so sorry that it happen.i think people should know what kind of man he is or was.
    report abuseposted March 29, 2009 8:11 PM PDT
  • __A_YAHOO_USER__
    beyonce father raped her when she was nine years old.i'm so sorry that it happen.i think people should know what kind of man he is or was.
    report abuseposted March 29, 2009 8:11 PM PDT
  • Kissme
    Helen Mirren is "hot"! Who would think about it!
    report abuseposted January 11, 2009 12:28 AM PST
  • GRRRRROSS!
    report abuseposted September 2, 2008 3:26 PM PDT
  • skippy
    i guess the courage to speak ure mind is not for the young, but for the experienced
    report abuseposted September 2, 2008 11:45 AM PDT
  • KC
    ... and they give people like this "awards"? Really sad. Wake up consumer!
    report abuseposted September 2, 2008 10:56 AM PDT
  • KC
    W T H ?? What a joke. Actresses generally kinda stink, don't they? Good grief.
    report abuseposted September 2, 2008 10:51 AM PDT
comments 1-10 of 11  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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