Skip to main content

‘Fast 8’ cast adds another classy dame, Oscar winner Helen Mirren

fast 8 helen mirren red movie image
Summit Entertainment
Don’t let her age and dignified demeanor fool you, Helen Mirren has no problem playing the role of kick-ass chick. As anyone who saw Red and/or Red 2 can tell you, the woman who once played the Queen of England is not to be trifled with.

With that in mind, ScreenCrush reports that the veteran actress will soon add “burning some serious rubber” to her already lengthy résumé, as she has joined the cast of Fast 8. While it’s unclear who she’ll play or exactly what she’ll be doing in the film, a recent interview with Elle let the cat out of the big. Here’s a snippet of what she had to say: “… I’m about to do Fast and Furious 8. But that’s for the fun of it. So maybe that’s what I want … some fun and some relevant, serious, important movies.”

Recommended Videos

Let’s be honest, Mirren could do popcorn flicks for the rest of her life and still have gravitas to spare. If she wants to have a little fun and dip her toe into something new, more power to her.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

If you’re wondering how Fast 8 was able to land such an esteemed actress, look no further than the franchise’s chief star: Vin Diesel. Apparently, Mirren is a huge fan of the actor and has expressed her fondness for him and for the Fast & Furious franchise in the past.

Of course, she won’t be the only Oscar-winning actress on set, as Charlize Theron (Cipher) is also a part of this formidable cast. Quite a one-two punch for the eighth installment of a franchise.

Fast 8 also stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jason Statham, Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones), and, of course, Diesel. F. Gary Gray is directing the film, which is set to hit theaters April 14, 2017.

Adam Poltrack
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Adam is an A/V News Writer for Digital Trends, and is responsible for bringing you the latest advances in A/V…
If you have to watch one Peacock movie this December 2024, stream this one
Ralph Fiennes stands next to a window in Conclave.

The 2024 Best Picture Oscar race is starting to take shape, and even better, some of the movies contending this year are already available to stream. Peacock might not seem like the obvious place to catch a potential Oscar winner, but Conclave is one of the best movies of 2024, and it's absolutely worth checking out.

The movie is set in the days after the death of the pope, and follows the bishops responsible for selecting a new leader for the Catholic church. As they battle over philosophies, they also uncover startling revelations about members of their group, and realize that not everyone has completely pure motivations. Here are three reasons you should check it out in December.

Read more
Sarah Michelle Gellar is open to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot
Buffy stands up with her entire graduating class behind her in Graduation Day, Part 2

Although it's been off the air for more than 20 years now, Buffy the Vampire Slayer continues to gain new fans who discover the series through streaming services. And, while star Sarah Michelle Gellar had previously been reluctant to join any potential reboot of the show, it now seems like she's changed her tune.

In an interview on The Drew Barrymore Show (via Variety), Gellar said that she had been rethinking her stance on revisiting the character.

Read more
3 underrated shows on Netflix you need to watch in December 2024
The cast of Prison Break.

Netflix is bringing the heat to close out 2024. Squid Game season 2 makes its triumphant debut one day after Christmas. Nothing screams holiday cheer more than a show about game contestants dying in the most brutal ways possible. For something with more thrills, check out Black Doves, the excellent espionage drama starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw.

Beyond the high-profile titles, Netflix has thousands of programs to watch, so much so that you can waste precious time scrolling instead of streaming. To save time, this guide recommends three underrated shows available to stream right now. The picks include a mystery involving a missing airplane, an invigorating thriller about a prison break, and an interesting teen soap.

Read more