Following her portrayal as Israel’s former prime Minister Golda Meir in spite of not being Jewish, Helen Mirren is under fire.
Actress Maureen Lipman stated that Helen was not the right choice and she felt uncomfortable about the casting.
An image publicity for the film Golda in which Dame Helen played Ms Meir at the Yom Kippur War of 1973 showed Dame Helen wearing a prosthetic that made her appear more like the politician.
According to Dame Maureen, the Jewish Chronicle said that the Jewishness of this character was so essential. It’s impossible for Ben Kingsley, Nelson Mandela to be played by Maureen. I know she will be extraordinarily talented. That was just impossible.
From 1969 to 1974, Ms Meir served as the fourth prime minister in Israel.
This comes as Tamsin Greig, who said last month that she “probably shouldn’t” have been playing a Jewish mother on Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner. While Ms Greig does not have Jewish roots, she practices Christianity.
Actress Maureen Lipman, left (left), said that Dame Helen Mirren (right), should not be asked to portray the Israeli leader Golda Mesr. She also stated that the casting was too difficult for her.
An image publicity for the film Golda in which Dame Helen played Ms Meir at the Yom Kippur War of 1973 showed Dame Helen wearing a prosthetic that made her appear more like the politician.
Patrick Marber (the playwright and director of Sir Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt) said that he didn’t believe that ‘lived experiences’ should be considered when casting roles.
According to him, forcing actors to live lives that are similar to those of the characters they portray would make it impossible for them to take on the role of another actor.
Sarah Silverman, an American comedian, previously attacked the casting Kathryn Hahn (a non-Jewish actress) as Joan Rivers.
Elliot Levey plays a German Jew as Cabaret at the West End.
Helen, known as Dame Helen, is a strong supporter Israel and signed an open letter condemning the cultural boycott.
The New York Times asked her whether she may be “a secret Jew” while she promoted The Debt. She played the role of a Mossad retired agent.
From 1969 to 1974, Ms Meir served as the fourth prime minister in Israel.
She replied that she would not be surprised.
Last year internet trolls branded Dame Helen ‘racist’ and described her as a ‘well known Zionist and Israel-worshipper’ after taking on the role of wartime prime minister Ms Meir.
Golda was made during 1973’s Yom Kippur War, which saw Arab countries attack Israel.
Dame Helen described Meir as ‘a formidable, intransigent and powerful leader’ and said it was ‘a great challenge to portray her at the most difficult moment of her extraordinary life’.
But critics on social media described the production as ‘fascism’, ‘sick’ and ‘tasteless’.
One Twitter user, who said they were ‘Palestinian and proud’, wrote: ‘How sick making a biopic on criminal Golda Meir and yes no surprise Helen Mirren the racist is happy to portray the pure distorted version of a disgusting individual.’
Another wrote: ‘Helen Mirren doing a film about the first female prime minister of Israel is a slap in the face to all the people of Palestine, they are literally celebrating taking over Palestine and taking families out of their homes, murdering children, families! Tasteless film!’
The decision comes as Tamsin Creig (pictured left) said that last month, she shouldn’t have played the role of a Jewish mother at Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner. Although Ms Greig has Jewish heritage, she is an orthodox Christian.
One social-media user said it was ‘hugely disappointing that Helen Mirren is volunteering for this role’, while another wrote: ‘More fascism to show how “wonderful” Israel is.’
Born in Ukraine in 1898 before moving to the US as a child, Meir made history in 1969 as Israel’s first female prime minister.
She soon provoked international controversy, saying: ‘There were no such thing as Palestinians.’
Israel’s Meir was heavily criticised for not adequately preparing for war, even though it had been reported that Syrian forces were ready for an attack.
Meir resigned in 1974 after the public backlash against her war handling. At 80, she died.
Dame Helen has faced criticism in the past for saying that she was a ‘believer’ in Israel and that she rejected calls to boycott the country.
Call My Agent stars in the film! actress Camille Cottin as Meir’s personal assistant and Israeli Lior Ashkenazi as her chief of staff.