HELEN MIRREN - MIRREN DEDICATES AWARD TO LATE 'MENTOR' IAN RICHARDSON

A tearful DAME HELEN MIRREN dedicated her Best Leading Actress BAFTA to her "mentor" actor IAN RICHARDSON, who died on Friday (09FEB07). The pair starred together in 1968 movie A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM - the actress' second ever film role - and Mirren insists Richardson played a huge part in her success story. After lifting the BAFTA for her role as QUEEN ELIZABETH II in THE QUEEN, Mirren fought back tears to tell the audience at London's Royal Opera House, "Many years ago when I started off as an actress I had the immense good fortune to work with an actor who was so generous in sharing his craft. "He became a mentor to me, he helped me believe in myself. Ian Richardson, I'm not too sure I would be here today if it wasn't for you."