Dame Helen Mirren is 74 years young and still one of the world’s most beloved actresses. It’s not just her acting chops that make her so popular, but her outspokenness and sense of humor.

Her most recent news-worthy moment came during September’s Paris Fashion Week.

As one of the many ambassadors of the L’Oréal skincare brand, she was invited to walk the runway at their spring-summer 2020 ready-to-wear Le Défilé show.

Even among the diverse set of famous faces, she was still an audience favorite for her energetic display on the catwalk.

Dressed in a flowing and multilayered black and white Giambattista Valli dress, she ran out onto the runway barefoot and then proceeded to skip and then nearly take flight to the cheers of the audience.

She posted two photos from the show on her Instagram page, captioning one “Take off! Such a grand time on the runway in Paris with my L’Oreal family. I had a blast with all the girls and boys and men and women.”

The second picture of her scampering out was captioned: “and literally taking off..”

Her next project is heading up the cast of the UK miniseries Catherine the Great where she will star as the monarch who ruled the Russian empire in the 18th century. It will begin airing in late October.

At the Paris show, Mirren also chatted with Vogue. When asked about the inclusivity of the show, she said:

“If it was just me in a show, it would be, ‘Oh, what an amazing novelty that they have a really old woman walking!’—and I wouldn’t feel so good about that. But here we are, a whole, diverse group of sizes, shapes, genders, and races. We’re making a statement about the inclusivity of the family of L’Oréal, and I think that’s a great message, and I’m happy to be a part of it. I just hope I don’t fall over!”

And, of course, she didn’t fall over – in fact she thoroughly charmed all 600 people in the audience.

She also talked about aging – something that is normally hidden away in the fashion world:

“It’s much better to age disgracefully! Take it on the chin and roll with it. You die young or you get older. There is nothing in between! You may as well enjoy it.”

Despite being an icon of coolness herself, Mirren said that she looks to French women to study their grace and sense of style:

“When you’re walking on the streets of Paris, you see these women—not in their 20s, in their 40s or 50s—and everything about her is so cool and elegant,” she explained. “I follow them, studying them to discover what is it that makes them so great. Is it their hair? Is it their shoes? Is it the way they tie the scarf? They’re just doing their thing, and it’s absolutely natural.”

It’s clear that as far as Mirren is concerned, growing older doesn’t have to mean growing up.

Be sure to scroll down below to catch her delightful runway performance.

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Source: Vogue Magazine