Legendary actress Helen Mirren has commented on late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, but the manner in which she addresses the singer has caught the attention of social media, with her quote now going viral.
Cobain’s legacy has been pored over by various musicians and entertainers over the years. The impact that he made over such a brief period of time rarely fails to be mentioned. Cobain died at the age of 27 back in 1994, leaving many to wonder what else might have come from the legendary Nirvana frontman.
Queue up Mirren, whose credits include The Queen, Gosford Park, Red and The Fate of the Furious. In a recent interview, she pondered a different observation where Cobain is concerned, which is why her comment has garnered such attention.
What Helen Mirren Said About Kurt Cobain
In a discussion about aging in the entertainment industry, Mirren initially remarked, “If you’re lucky, you get to be older. And then there you are. Oh my God, I’m 79! I never thought I’d be 79. And then you say, OK, well this is it. This is what 79 is. And it’s kind of OK. It’s not brilliant, but it was not that brilliant to be 25 either.”
But Mirren’s commentary on aging didn’t stop there. In her chat with the Evening Standard, she continued, “I always say, it’s so sad that Kurt Cobain died when he did, because he never got to see GPS. It’s the most wonderful thing, my little blue spot walking down the street. I just find it completely magical and unbelievable.”
So often we reflect on the “what might have been” concerning Cobain’s career, but the matter-of-fact pondering of Cobain missing out on the innovations of the last 30 years such as GPS is not a conversation often had.
What Else Helen Mirren Wondered About Kurt Cobain
Apparently Mirren has given plenty of thought about what Cobain missed after his death in 1994. In previous interviews, she’s used the Nirvana frontman as an example to reflect on aging and the evolution of technology over time.
She once told Oprah Winfrey in 2014, “Look at Kurt Cobain — he hardly even saw a computer! The digital stuff that’s going on is so exciting. I’m just so curious about what happens next.”
Staying on the computer beat, Mirren told Cosmopolitan in 2015, “I was thinking about Kurt Cobain the other day and he died without knowing the internet, and I’m totally blown away by that.”
She also used Cobain as an example to speak about the arrival of the internet in a 2016 chat with The Daily Mail. “If I’d died at 27, the age that Kurt Cobain died in 1994, I’d never have even known there was an internet! Incredible things are happening all the time and I can’t wait to see what comes next,” she commented.
The surprising nature of the comments leaves plenty to unpack. It’s cool to think that a legend such as the 79-year-old Dame Helen Mirren recognizes the talents of the late Kurt Cobain, who would have been 57 if he was still living. It’s a great from one generation and a different form of entertainment mentioning another iconic talent.
READ MORE: Fans Reflect on 30 Years Since the Death of Kurt Cobain
But the manner in which she’s consistently used Cobain as a reference to speak about aging and innovations just feels a little off. And it makes you curious how she might have felt about Cobain and his music beyond using him as a reference point.
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