'The Debt' Helen Mirren: 'I'm thrilled to win action roles at 66'

Helen Mirren has revealed that she is "thrilled" to be given more action roles at the age of 66.

The Brighton Rock star said that she was happy to film her first full fight scene in espionage thriller The Debt as she believes actresses have struggled to land physical parts for too long.

Mirren told BBC News: "For a very long time girls weren't allowed to have fight scenes, it just didn't happen. Now they can and Angelina Jolie does them all, but for a woman of my age a fight scene is pretty rare.

"The action role did elude me for a long time, but I've recently stepped into that, and I'm thrilled - more of that please."

However, Mirren explained that she wanted the action scenes to remain truthful to her physical limitations.

"With the whole movie it was important there was a feeling of veracity about it," she said. "If it had slipped into being a slick Bourne Ultimatum kind of movie, I think it would have lost an awful lot."

Mirren revealed earlier this month that she feels "very lucky" to have won "proactive" film roles.

Watch Helen Mirren in the trailer for The Debt below: