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Helen Mirren was nervous about being the newbie on Fast 8 set

Los Angeles - Dame Helen Mirren is "very nervous" about her role in Fast and Furious 8.

The 70-year-old actress was announced to be joining the cast of the car racing franchise in June, just a few months after she went public with her interest in having a part in the next movie opposite recurring stars such as Vin Diesel, 48, Michelle Rodriguez, 38, and Jason Statham, 48. 

Despite her decades of experience, Mirren admits it is daunting to join such an established film series.

It doesn’t get better than this: Helen Mirren joins the Fast Family in #F8. 4.14.17

A photo posted by Fast & Furious (@fastandfuriousmovie) on

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly magazine, she explained: "I'm very nervous because when you're going on to a set with people who have been doing this for (so long), basically, they all know each other.

"They've worked together; they know what they're doing. I'll be, you know, the newcomer, the newbie. I think they'll be nice to me. I hope they'll be nice to me ... I've only got one day, and I'll probably fuck it up, oh God!"

However, Mirren will not be the only "newbie" on set, as Charlize Theron is also on board as the main villain.

The RED star had expressed a desire to drive in the high-octane sequel but so far none of her scenes involve her being behind the wheel.

She shared: "I wanted to be driving, but unfortunately, I'm not. Maybe that will come in the future, in Fast and Furious 12. I'm probably one of the few people on the set who know how to drive a gear shift car. I doubt The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) knows!"

Shooting on Fast and Furious 8, directed by F. Gary Gray, is already well underway across a variety of exotic locations and the movie is due out next spring. Two more sequels have already been confirmed.

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