Helen Mirren Didn’t Want To Play A Dying Woman In Netflix’s Goodbye June, But Kate Winslet Told Us What Convinced Her

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Christmas is usually a time for lighthearted, feel-good movies and activities like making crafts and enjoying hot cocoa. But sometimes, a more meaningful film appears during the holidays, like Netflix’s new movie, Goodbye June. The film features Helen Mirren and Kate Winslet (who also directed), and it almost didn’t happen – Mirren initially didn’t want to take on the role.

Many actresses in their eighties often receive scripts similar to those in “Goodbye June,” but Helen Mirren consistently surprises everyone. She’s taken on roles in action franchises like “Fast and Furious” and recently starred in “Thursday Murder Club,” proving she’s not limited to playing frail, elderly characters. So, it’s not surprising that she wasn’t immediately excited about the role, as Kate Winslet shared with TopMob.

Working with her is a real joy. She’s an incredible woman, eighty years young, and has truly lived a full life – she’s experienced everything and played every role imaginable. But this part was different; it showed a vulnerability we hadn’t seen from her before. She even told me upfront she wasn’t thrilled with the role, but she was doing it to support me and because she loved my son’s writing. That’s just the kind of dedicated artist she is – that’s Helen for you.

Kate Winslet makes her debut as a director with the film Goodbye June. The script was written by her son, Joe Anders – whose father is director Sam Mendes – when he was just 19 years old. He was inspired to write it while saying goodbye to his grandmother, who is also Kate Winslet’s mother. (This project comes after Winslet recently discussed the topic of ‘nepo babies’.)

Helen Mirren initially hesitated to play a character who was ill, but she was happy to help and participate in the project. The story offers a heartwarming glimpse into how collaborations succeed in Hollywood when people support and respect each other. Kate Winslet also speaks very highly of Mirren and her contributions.

She’s a truly admirable person – a real pillar of strength, especially for Britain. She’s naturally supportive and has an incredible ability to hold things together, particularly when people around her are struggling. I always knew I could rely on her for that kind of support because it’s just who she is.

The new film stars Helen Mirren as June and Kate Winslet as her daughter, Julia. The family also includes Molly, played by Andrea Riseborough, Helen, played by Toni Collette, and Connor, played by Johnny Flynn. Timothy Spall plays June’s husband and the children’s father. The story unfolds during the holidays, and things soon take a difficult turn for the family.

During our talk, Winslet explained that it was crucial to let Mirren have the freedom to perform her role. She wanted Mirren to feel comfortable trying different approaches and experimenting with the character. Winslet believed there was a good reason Mirren enjoyed the work, even though the subject matter – playing a character who is dying – wasn’t necessarily uplifting.

When working with Helen Mirren, I focused on creating a different kind of atmosphere for her, rather than trying to teach her anything new. I knew that wouldn’t be possible – she’s incredibly experienced and has heard it all before. As an actress myself, I understand that actors can sense when a director is trying to be overly clever, and it usually makes them close off and uncooperative. So, I aimed for a supportive, rather than innovative, approach.

Kate Winslet and Helen Mirren seem to work wonderfully together as director and actress. Having seen Goodbye June, I can confirm that Mirren, at 80 years old, delivers a very genuine and touching performance, although the role itself is a bit unusual for her.

Helen Mirren, known for breaking boundaries in film since the 1960s, has openly discussed the negative stereotypes she faces as she gets older. She also shared that she greatly appreciated the guidance she received from Kate Winslet, who was directing for the first time. As Winslet herself explained:

Helen surprisingly didn’t feel the need to explain things at length. She preferred not to dwell on details and simply wanted to deal with whatever happened as it came, which I completely understood.

You’ll be able to watch the movie Goodbye June on Netflix beginning December 24th – that’s Christmas Eve!

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2025-12-24 00:39