Russell Brand: I like bossy Mirren

The outrageous star appears alongside the Oscar-winning actress in a remake of 1981 comedy Arthur. Russell has tamed his wild ways since he began dating Katy Perry last year and insists he is now happy to be kept in line by women. He particularly liked working with Helen because she ensured he always arrived to set on time and didn’t tolerate his cheeky behaviour.

“Arthur is finished now, it’s in the can. Helen Mirren is in it, she’s so fantastic – what a wonderful human being,” Russell explained. “Say I am dilly dallying and I am supposed to be on set doing some work she will go, ‘Come along Russell we are beginning now.’ But never with any sort of malice in her, she told me what to do the whole time.”

Russell has been a fan of Helen for many years and always harboured a crush on the 65-year-old Hollywood star. However, he says his affection for the actress has deepened since he got to know her and he has learnt to appreciate her personality as well as her sex appeal.

“I was already enchanted by her and had written about her in my book, but my superficial attraction which I think was based on sex, has now been compounded by something more compassionate and profound for her as a woman,” he added.

In Arthur, Russell plays the title character originally made famous by Dudley Moore – a drunken playboy who risks losing his inheritance when he falls in love with a woman his family don’t approve of.