Helen Mirren Says It Was 'Very Flattering' to Be Mistaken for Keanu Reeves' Girlfriend
Helen Mirren didn’t mind being compared to Keanu Reeves‘ girlfriend, artist Alexandra Grant.
When pictures of Reeves, 55, and Grant, 46, showing off PDA at a recent red carpet surfaced this week, many social media users pointed out Grant’s resemblance to the actress, with some even admitting they had mistaken the artist for Mirren.
While speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of her new movie The Good Liar on Wednesday, Mirren, 74, addressed the comparisons.
RELATED: Keanu Reeves Wants to ‘Openly Share His Life’ with Artist Girlfriend Alexandra Grant: Source
“I saw that,” the Oscar winner said of the internet’s reaction. “That was very flattering on me, you know, because she’s obviously lovely.”
Though Mirren and Reeves aren’t dating, she told ET that they’ve known each other for a long time, ever since the actor starred in a movie directed by Mirren’s husband of 22 years, director Taylor Hackford.
“I do know Keanu very well. He did a film with my husband and he is just the most adorable, lovely person,” Mirren shared, referencing the 1997 film The Devil’s Advocate. “So she’s a lucky girl and I’m sure that he’s a lucky boy.”
On Saturday, Reeves and Grant attended the LACMA Art + Film Gala and walked the red carpet holding hands. The John Wick actor wore an all-black suit, while Grant wore a midnight blue gown with a deep V-neck and silver flats.
“Keanu wants to openly share his life with her,” a source told PEOPLE after the couple made their debut. “He is extremely happy and grateful to have Alex in his life.”
The insider added that the two, who have known each other for years, “started dating earlier this year, but have wanted to keep it quiet.”
The couple first collaborated in 2011 on Reeves’ book Ode to Happiness, with Grant providing the illustrations. The project was her first artist book and Reeves’ first book as a writer.
They worked together again on the actor’s 2016 book, Shadows, in which Grant again provided the illustrations.
RELATED: Keanu Reeves Holds Hands with Artist Alexandra Grant on the Red Carpet
The following year, the duo co-founded X Artists’ Books, a publishing house that focuses on publishing “thoughtful, high-quality, artist-centered books that fit within and between genres,” according to its website.
Last month, the pair were photographed enjoying dinner together at Giorgio Baldi, a luxurious Italian hotspot in Santa Monica, California.
