Helen Mirren replacing Bette Middler in movie

Helen Mirren is set to replace Bette Middler in the HBO Films movie Phil Spector.

Middler recently had to pull out of the project for medical reasons, so Mirren has been tapped to star opposite Al Pacino in the film, which explores the client-attorney relationship between legendary music producer Phil Spector (Pacino) and defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden (Mirren), who represented Spector during his first trial for murder, according to Deadline.

Mirren recently insisted she is “very comfortable” with her sexuality.

“I’m not beautiful. I was never beautiful. I just clean up nice! Sexiness is different. I don’t mind being sexy — but on my own terms. I’ve always felt very comfortable about my sexuality,” she said.

“Women don’t lose their sex appeal as they get older, it just moves into a different kind of arena. I don’t mean full-on sex appeal – that’s really for the young. No, it’s some kind of indeterminate thing — an appreciation of life and wisdom and other things, perhaps. There should be a special word for it.”

---

---