Helen Mirren’s loyal love

Dame Helen Mirren doesn’t care about romance. The 64-year-old actress – who married director Taylor Hackford in 1997 after 15 years of dating – insists loyalty and understanding are the key factors in making their relationship successful.

She said: “Taylor isn’t romantic, but what I get on the other side is so much better. Loyalty and truthfulness – I’d take those qualities over romantic evenings any time.

“I have the incredible advantage of having a husband who is both loyal and understanding. In return, I give him back loyalty and understanding, too.

“We couldn’t be married without that. I admire my husband and I think that’s essential. I don’t think you can fall in love with someone just because you admire them.

“But I don’t think, either, you can fall in love with someone unless you admire them in the first place. And I admire Taylor considerably.”

The ‘Love Ranch’ actress believes meeting Taylor later in life has also made their relationship stronger because they are mature enough to support the demands of one another’s careers.

She added in an interview with Yours magazine: “He is tremendously supportive of me and my career, too. He gives me strength and I do the same for him.

“We came together as grown-ups, professionally formed. I was in my late 30s and so aligned to him. We were generous to each other and loyal in terms of each other’s work.

“He’s proud of my successes and he’s sympathetic when things aren’t successful. If they aren’t, he’ll say ‘You were great, darling’ and I do likewise.”

---

---