For two seasons in 1923, Helen Mirren played Cara Dutton, the practical and honest matriarch of the Dutton family. Never one to shy away from the hard work that life in Montana required, Cara embodied wisdom and love. Cast opposite Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton, Mirren also brought a fair amount of witty banter to the role of Cara. Mirren’s portrayal of Maeve Harrigan on MobLand resembles that of Cara Dutton in many ways. Married to Pierce Brosnan’s Conrad Harrigan, Maeve is once again the matriarch, a strong female who wields influence behind the scenes. Maeve is different in her cutthroat nature, offering an awe-inspiring juxtaposition that’s fascinating to watch.
Mirren has always embraced playing strong women, and I’ve marveled at every one of her performances. With roles like Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006), British intelligence officer Colonel Katherine Powell in Eye in the Sky (2015), and former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in Golda (2023) on her resume, it’s nearly impossible not to.
Most recently, Mirren has brought two of the most formidable women in recent television history to Paramount+. Cara Dutton in 1923 and Maeve Harrington in MobLand are two powerhouse women, and Mirren is the perfect choice to play both.
MobLand
- Release Date
-
March 30, 2025
- Network
-
Paramount+
- Directors
-
Guy Ritchie
Cast
-
Pierce Brosnan
Conrad Harrigan
Helen Mirren Redefined the Portrayal of Women in Westerns with ‘1923’
1923 was a departure for Helen Mirren. The actress had never been interested in westerns before 1923 because, as she explained in 2025:
Young women should be very grateful to Taylor Sheridan for writing such great women roles. Cara is just one of them. He’s written a whole series of great, great women’s roles. Those roles didn’t exist when I was growing up in our business. Even as an audience member, I never saw these people on the screen. I never really liked Westerns because the women in them were so awful.
As Cara Dutton, Mirren took what Sheridan had constructed and reinvented the role of women in Westerns. She was a supportive wife who would do anything to protect her family in the wilds of Montana. She didn’t back down from a fight, had an enduring strength, and espoused poetic wisdom to the men and women in her life.
Mirren’s portrayal of a strong woman wasn’t new for her as an actress, but how she managed to capture both the triumphs and hardships of females on the American frontier was inspired. Subtle when she needed to be and blunt when required, she presented Cara Dutton as a formidable and caring woman motivated by familial loyalty.
Related
‘1923’s Best Character Is Exactly Who You Think It Is
Taylor Sheridan’s ‘1923’ is full of compelling characters, but Helen Mirren’s Cara Dutton stands head and shoulders above the rest.
‘MobLand’ Showcases Helen Mirren’s Ability To Portray the Complexities of Women
Maeve Harrington in MobLand operates very much behind the scenes like Cara Dutton in 1923. As the wife of Conrad Harrington (Pierce Brosnan), the patriarch of a London crime family, Maeve is a bit of an enigma. Just like Cara Dutton, Maeve is strong and fierce, although her motivations remain unclear.
When her husband went to her for advice during the first episode of MobLand, her guidance essentially resulted in the death of her brother-in-law. Conrad is fairly indecisive and needs Maeve to make the call, something she seems more than willing to do. It does make one wonder exactly who pulls the strings of the Harrington crime organization.
Mirren said in an interview with CNN that she didn’t want Maeve to be one-dimensional. Instead of playing one character in a group of multiple strong individuals vying for power, she has challenged herself to do more: “What makes a character actually interesting is not their power, it’s their vulnerability… She’s a villain in a piece about villains. It will be interesting to see, ultimately hopefully, where Maeve goes.”
Mirren compared Maeve to another character she played, albeit on the stage: “I think of all the characters I’ve played, the closest I’ve come to playing a character like Maeve was playing Lady Macbeth in a Scottish play many years ago.” She noted that the partnership between Maeve and Conrad was more akin to dependence and competition than love.
Related
Helen Mirren Says ‘James Bond’s Sexism Is Exactly Why The Character Should Never be Female
Helen Mirren has shared a candid view on the ‘James Bond’ franchise, and why it should not have a female lead.
Helen Mirren Portrays the Similarities and Differences Between Cara Dutton and Maeve Harrington Perfectly
Helen Mirren told Parade that she didn’t have any scripts when she signed on to do 1923. It was the opportunity to work with Taylor Sheridan and Harrison Ford that motivated her. For MobLand, the situation was comparable, although it was Guy Ritchie, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Hardy who drove her to do the show.
When talking about how Cara Dutton and Maeve Harrington were similar, Mirren offered insight into how she brought them to fruition:
“Well, they’re both Irish, which is interesting. I very much wanted to make Cara Dutton Irish. That was my contribution because I thought these people were immigrants, and very recent immigrants…. And then Maeve Harrigan comes along. Well, Maeve Harrigan is a very Irish name. And she’s the Irish wife to an Irish crime boss. So I had to be Irish in that. Although actually, to really make them Irish-sounding was a decision that was made almost on the first day of shooting.”
As for their differences,
“The writing, the background, where they are, who they are, is so different. I mean, they’re both matriarchs. They’re both powerful characters. For sure, they’re both characters who take control of the situation. To a certain extent. Maeve is much more manipulative. With Cara is the true supportive partner, an equal partner – I hope – with her husband, Jacob, played by Harrison. And they are the sort of pioneering couple squinting into the future. Maeve is a much more viper-ish, tricky character. She’s very manipulative, very ambitious, probably psychotic, actually.”
Overall, Mirren brings her mastery to both Cara Dutton and Maeve Harrington flawlessly. Mirren as Maeve, psychotic or not, is next-level acting, and I’m here for it.
Stream both 1923 and MobLand on Paramount+.
For two seasons in 1923, Helen Mirren played Cara Dutton, the practical and honest matriarch of the Dutton family. Never one to shy away from the hard work that life in Montana required, Cara embodied wisdom and love. Cast opposite Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton, Mirren also brought a fair amount of witty banter to the role of Cara. Mirren’s portrayal of Maeve Harrigan on MobLand resembles that of Cara Dutton in many ways. Married to Pierce Brosnan’s Conrad Harrigan, Maeve is once again the matriarch, a strong female who wields influence behind the scenes. Maeve is different in her cutthroat nature, offering an awe-inspiring juxtaposition that’s fascinating to watch.
Mirren has always embraced playing strong women, and I’ve marveled at every one of her performances. With roles like Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006), British intelligence officer Colonel Katherine Powell in Eye in the Sky (2015), and former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in Golda (2023) on her resume, it’s nearly impossible not to.
Most recently, Mirren has brought two of the most formidable women in recent television history to Paramount+. Cara Dutton in 1923 and Maeve Harrington in MobLand are two powerhouse women, and Mirren is the perfect choice to play both.
MobLand
- Release Date
-
March 30, 2025
- Network
-
Paramount+
- Directors
-
Guy Ritchie
Cast
-
Pierce Brosnan
Conrad Harrigan
Helen Mirren Redefined the Portrayal of Women in Westerns with ‘1923’
1923 was a departure for Helen Mirren. The actress had never been interested in westerns before 1923 because, as she explained in 2025:
Young women should be very grateful to Taylor Sheridan for writing such great women roles. Cara is just one of them. He’s written a whole series of great, great women’s roles. Those roles didn’t exist when I was growing up in our business. Even as an audience member, I never saw these people on the screen. I never really liked Westerns because the women in them were so awful.
As Cara Dutton, Mirren took what Sheridan had constructed and reinvented the role of women in Westerns. She was a supportive wife who would do anything to protect her family in the wilds of Montana. She didn’t back down from a fight, had an enduring strength, and espoused poetic wisdom to the men and women in her life.
Mirren’s portrayal of a strong woman wasn’t new for her as an actress, but how she managed to capture both the triumphs and hardships of females on the American frontier was inspired. Subtle when she needed to be and blunt when required, she presented Cara Dutton as a formidable and caring woman motivated by familial loyalty.
Related
‘1923’s Best Character Is Exactly Who You Think It Is
Taylor Sheridan’s ‘1923’ is full of compelling characters, but Helen Mirren’s Cara Dutton stands head and shoulders above the rest.
‘MobLand’ Showcases Helen Mirren’s Ability To Portray the Complexities of Women
Maeve Harrington in MobLand operates very much behind the scenes like Cara Dutton in 1923. As the wife of Conrad Harrington (Pierce Brosnan), the patriarch of a London crime family, Maeve is a bit of an enigma. Just like Cara Dutton, Maeve is strong and fierce, although her motivations remain unclear.
When her husband went to her for advice during the first episode of MobLand, her guidance essentially resulted in the death of her brother-in-law. Conrad is fairly indecisive and needs Maeve to make the call, something she seems more than willing to do. It does make one wonder exactly who pulls the strings of the Harrington crime organization.
Mirren said in an interview with CNN that she didn’t want Maeve to be one-dimensional. Instead of playing one character in a group of multiple strong individuals vying for power, she has challenged herself to do more: “What makes a character actually interesting is not their power, it’s their vulnerability… She’s a villain in a piece about villains. It will be interesting to see, ultimately hopefully, where Maeve goes.”
Mirren compared Maeve to another character she played, albeit on the stage: “I think of all the characters I’ve played, the closest I’ve come to playing a character like Maeve was playing Lady Macbeth in a Scottish play many years ago.” She noted that the partnership between Maeve and Conrad was more akin to dependence and competition than love.
Related
Helen Mirren Says ‘James Bond’s Sexism Is Exactly Why The Character Should Never be Female
Helen Mirren has shared a candid view on the ‘James Bond’ franchise, and why it should not have a female lead.
Helen Mirren Portrays the Similarities and Differences Between Cara Dutton and Maeve Harrington Perfectly
Helen Mirren told Parade that she didn’t have any scripts when she signed on to do 1923. It was the opportunity to work with Taylor Sheridan and Harrison Ford that motivated her. For MobLand, the situation was comparable, although it was Guy Ritchie, Pierce Brosnan, and Tom Hardy who drove her to do the show.
When talking about how Cara Dutton and Maeve Harrington were similar, Mirren offered insight into how she brought them to fruition:
“Well, they’re both Irish, which is interesting. I very much wanted to make Cara Dutton Irish. That was my contribution because I thought these people were immigrants, and very recent immigrants…. And then Maeve Harrigan comes along. Well, Maeve Harrigan is a very Irish name. And she’s the Irish wife to an Irish crime boss. So I had to be Irish in that. Although actually, to really make them Irish-sounding was a decision that was made almost on the first day of shooting.”
As for their differences,
“The writing, the background, where they are, who they are, is so different. I mean, they’re both matriarchs. They’re both powerful characters. For sure, they’re both characters who take control of the situation. To a certain extent. Maeve is much more manipulative. With Cara is the true supportive partner, an equal partner – I hope – with her husband, Jacob, played by Harrison. And they are the sort of pioneering couple squinting into the future. Maeve is a much more viper-ish, tricky character. She’s very manipulative, very ambitious, probably psychotic, actually.”
Overall, Mirren brings her mastery to both Cara Dutton and Maeve Harrington flawlessly. Mirren as Maeve, psychotic or not, is next-level acting, and I’m here for it.
Stream both 1923 and MobLand on Paramount+.
