The first photo of Helen Mirren in costume and makeup for the Golda Meir biopic, Golda, was released on Wednesday.
The British actress, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of another leading female figure, Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen, is unrecognizable in a photo that shows her with her hair in Meir’s trademark frizzy bun, wearing a blue sweater and gray skirt, holding a cigarette and a cup of coffee or tea.
Guy Nattiv, the Israeli director who won an Oscar for his short film, Skin, which he wrote with Sharon Maymon, is directing the film, which will co-star Shira Haas as the young Golda. The movie, which is currently being filmed in Israel and other locations, also features Lior Ashkenazi as David “Dado” Elazar, the IDF chief of staff, and Camille Cottin of Call My Agent!, as Meir’s longtime assistant.
Deadline.com reported on Wednesday that another actress from abroad, Andie MacDowell, will star in a movie produced, directed and written by Israelis: My Happy Ending, based on a play by Anat Gov. It tells the story of an ailing Hollywood star who ends up in a British hospital with three other women who help her come to terms with her life.
The movie will be directed by Maymon, along with his partner, Tal Granit, with whom he made the films, The Farewell Party and Flawless. The movie is an Israeli-British co-production and among its producers are Talia Kleinhendler and Osnat Handelsman-Keren of Pie Films, which produced Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Its executive producers include Moshe Edery, Tmira Yardeni, Arik Kneller and Bonnie Timmermann.
MacDowell is best known for her roles in Four Weddings and a Funeral, Groundhog Day and Sex, Lies and Videotape and is currently starring with her daughter, Margaret Qualley, in Netflix’s Maid.