Helen Mirren 'was scared of Russell Brand'

Dame Helen Mirren has revealed that she was nervous about starring alongside Russell Brand in The Tempest.

The actress had already starred in Arthur with the comedian but insisted that she hadn't spent much time with him.

She told Stylist: "I kind of jumped, but with terrible trepidation. Mostly because it was Russell! We had worked on The Tempest together but never really spent time together until this. Russell is quite an intimidating person."

However, the 65-year-old admitted that she "fell in love" with Brand when she got to know him better.

Mirren explained: "He's so brilliant and rock and roll and I feel so boring and ordinary next to him. So it was quite scary. And I'm not very good at edgy, modern comedy. But in the film meeting I saw this incredibly bright and interesting person making this thing happen - and I fell in love."

Brand previously confessed that he was worried about working with the Oscar-winning star.

He said: "I was frightened before I met her, it made me talk a bit different - like my breathing changed."

Watch the trailer for The Tempest below: