The second season of Audible’s fictional audio series that takes place in the Sherlock Holmes universe premieres in November.

It’s time to return to 221B Baker Street.

The second season of Audible’s fictional podcast taking place in the Sherlock Holmes universe, Moriarty: The Silent Order, just announced a new lineup of actors who will be joining the latest installment.

Helen Mirren, Anya Chalotra, Ross McCall and Arielle Goldman will star alongside the mystery thriller’s returning cast, which includes Dominic Monaghan as Professor James Moriarty and Phil LaMarr as Sherlock Holmes

Produced by Treefort Media, the 10-episode first season premiered in July 2022. The series’ sophomore season, available Nov. 9 exclusively on Audible, (spoiler alert) picks up six months after Moriarty survives near death at Reichenbach Falls and tracks down the woman he loves in New York City, where she is trapped in the web of The Order — an evil organization that stretches beyond Britain and the Crown, according to Audible.

When he fails to break her free, he returns to London to take down the organization, led by Mirren’s Lady Milverton, “the worst woman in London,” per her character description, “a pleasant, charming blackmailer who doesn’t believe in trust, only in leveraging to get people to do what she wants.”

Upon returning to the British capital, Moriarty finds Holmes is alive, despite their tryst at the waterfall at the end of season one, and is also trying to take down The Order. The two decide to partner up, set their hostility aside and work together.

“It was lovely to be part of the rich, beautifully realized world of Moriarty,” Mirren said in a statement. “It’s fun for me to take on a villainous role, and I particularly enjoyed delving into the different dimensions of Lady Milverton. This story was my first podcast drama, and I couldn’t imagine a more exhilarating story as an entry into the format.”

Mirren’s participation in the podcast amid the actors strike is permitted since Audible does not fall under projects produced under the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Agreements. The podcast company has a bespoke agreement with SAG under its Audiobooks division, which also covers original audio content and is considered non-struck work.

Monaghan said in a statement that it was “a treat” to work with the Oscar winner as his new nemesis this season.

“Moriarty has always been such an enigmatic character to me and exploring his world through this medium fueled my imagination. I’m delighted to continue telling his story,” the Lord of the Rings star said. “I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed working on it.”

Season one of Moriarty, The Devil’s Game, was the No. 1 podcast on the Audible platform at launch, and it won best fiction podcast at the Banff Rockie Awards. Returning voice castmembers also include Billy Harris and Curtis Armstrong. Chalotra (The Witcher) joins the ensemble in the role of Agatha, a young maid with secrets.”

Helen Mirren talks to Israeli Channel 12 about Golda.
Disclaimer: this interview has been recorded before the SAG-AFTRA strikes and broadcasted yesterday. No violation of the strike rules has been perpetuated.

Helen Mirren and husband Taylor Hackford were in California yesterday at the 10th Annual LMGI Awards that was honoring Location Managers.
Enjoy the HQ photos and hopefully I’ll have more to add later.

Is this Helen Mirren’s next Oscar contender?

The Academy Award winner plays former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in the upcoming film Golda, which will be released Aug. 25. The film is set during the 19 days of 1973’s Yom Kippur War, which began when a coalition of Arab states launched a surprise attack on Israel on the holy day.

Meir was modern Israel’s first modern head of government, and the film chronicles how the myriad pressures put on her when faced with the possibility of Israel’s destruction shaped what would be a complicated legacy. Liev Schreiber plays U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who navigated a complex relationship with Meir during this time, as illustrated in this exclusive clip for The Daily Beast’s Obsessed. [Check the video at the source]

“If we have to, we will fight alone,” Meir says, frustrated with Kissinger’s reasoning during this tense confrontation at a dining table.

“This scene in Golda was able to symbolize more than anything the relationship between Golda and Kissinger in history,” director Guy Nattiv tells Obsessed. “She had this ability to soften him. The two had a special relationship that allowed the US to send massive shipments to Israel during a crucial time and it saved the country.”

Schreiber met with Kissinger two days before the scene was filmed, according to Nattvi, and “really got to understand who he was as a person and a leader.”

“That scene depicts a very important meeting and it essentially changed the course of the war, because as soon as Israel received its shipment, they were able to fight,” he continued. “It took a leader like Golda to be able to work with Kissinger into giving support to Israel from the U.S.”

Golda will be released in theaters Aug. 25.

Thanks to my friend at Bev Crusher’s Trek Archive, I added a first batch of clippings featuring Helen Mirren (by image or mention) from the 60s. They’re all pretty much referring to stage work, but it’s an interesting collection to look at. Enjoy!

Some HQ photos from photocall & press conference and honoree evening during Jerusalem Film Festival. Enjoy them!

Dame Helen Mirren visited her beloved Apulia during the week-end, to attend the Dolce & Gabbana Fashion Shows through 3 cities of the region.
There aren’t many photos around but I collected the few I found AND on twitter you will find a bunch of videos.