Helen McCrory is on her way to becoming a Classic British Actress. ... Hanging out with Helen McCrory is a fairly pain-free activity. She's good company - chatty and funny with a penchant for comedy accents - but becomes focused and a bit po-faced when the tape's running. That makes her quite different from most actresses of her generation, who seem to treat their job like a bit of a giggle between being photographed in their smalls for lad mags. She has an old-fashioned, classical air about her, with her rich, raspy, plummy tones - a touch of the Redgraves. Her idol is, in fact, Dame Judi Dench. ... Very few performers ever get those moments [that people remember for all time]. After all, and this is a blessing really, we can't all be Sean Connery or Michael Caine. But, when you're dealing with the irresistible force known as Helen McCrory, anything is possible. She may be an actress with one platform-booted foot in the past but, as her mum and dad know, she's also the thing of tomorrow.

-- Peter Ross (article author), The Herald, January 14, 2001

Helen McCrory delivers a delightful performance of both sadness and sensuality as the Lady Olivia [in Twelfth Night]. ... [In Uncle Vanya,] Yelena [is] played by McCrory with both delicious beauty and woeful despair.

-- Michael Keating (article author), Portsmouth Herald, February 2, 2003

Helen McCrory movingly captures her character's ache for a baby ... while Will Keen and Damien Lewis play the guilty brothers with a wired intensity.

-- Charles Spencer (article author), The Telegraph, December 24, 2003

[Helen] delivered a pair of mesmerising beauties in Sam Mendes' two swansong productions at the Donmar, Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya, giving performances that saw her described by critics as "utterly bewitching", "riveting" and "luscious". On TV, her Anna Karenina was breathtakingly sensual, and in the recent BBC drama Charles II, ... she sizzled. ... McCrory [is] such a fine actress. ... I'll remember meeting McCrory, too - and she's welcome in my front room any time.

-- Sam Marlowe (article author), The Independent, July 1, 2004

[In As You Like It,] McCrory ... steals into one's heart. ... McCrory lends the production an emotional reality. ... If I was won over, it was largely because [of] McCrory.

-- Michael Billington (article author), The Guardian, June 22, 2005

[In The Queen,] Cherie Blair [is] played by a superb Helen McCrory.

-- Baz Bamigboye (article author), The Daily Mail, August 9, 2006

McCrory is great as Cherie [in The Queen], pulling off the slightly scuttling walk and the adoring gazes at her Tony to perfection. ... There's barely an even mildly critical review to be found in the acres of praise lavished on McCrory's work. One of the country's leading stage actors, ... her Lady Macbeth prompted one critic to comment: "She makes you wish Shakespeare had written her more scenes."

-- Lydia Slater (article author), Evening Standard Magazine, August 25, 2006

[In The Queen,] Cherie [is] sparkily played by Helen McCrory.

-- [article author unknown], Sydney Morning Herald, September 4, 2006

[In The Queen,] Cherie [is portrayed in] a delicious cameo by Helen McCrory.

-- James Christopher (article author), The Times, September 4, 2006

The strong cast [of The Queen], including Helen McCrory as Cherie, James Cromwell as the Duke of Edinburgh and Sylvia Syms as the Queen Mother, could hardly be better.

-- Derek Malcolm (article author), Evening Standard, September 14, 2006

The terrific supporting cast [of The Queen] includes James Cromwell, Alex Jennings, Helen McCrory, Roger Allam and Sylvia Sims.

-- David Germain (article author), Associated Press, September 28, 2006

[In The Queen,] Cherie [is played by] a delightful Helen McCrory.

-- Aseem Chhabra (article author), Rediff News, September 29, 2006

[In The Queen,] Cherie [is played by] a marvelous Helen McCrory.

-- James Verniere (article author), Braintree Forum, October 4, 2006

The entire cast [of The Queen] gives stellar performances, especially James Cromwell as Prince Philip, Sylvia Syms as the Queen Mum, Michael Sheen as Blair and Helen McCrory as Cherie Blair.

-- Jennifer Merin (article author), New York Press, October 4, 2006

I especially liked Helen McCrory, as Cherie Blair [In the Queen].

-- Ty Burr (article author), Boston Globe, October 6, 2006

[Helen]'s a wonderful actress.

-- Michael Sheen (costar in The Queen), Hollywood Reporter, October 6, 2006

Helen McCrory (British TV's "Anna Karenina") is a wonderful Cherie Blair.

-- Kelly Jane Torrance (article author), The Washington Times, October 6, 2006

Helen was always conscious of an audience -- she could be a little monster at home, but if we took her outside she'd be as good as gold. Helen has quite a reputation in the theatre now, and my friends say it hasn't changed her at all, which is lovely. I love Helen to bits, I am her best friend, but I'm also her mum, very much so -- I can be disapproving. I am so excited about the new baby [born shortly after this picture was taken], she'll be a great mum. It's going to be such fun.

-- Ann McCrory (Helen's mother), Marie Claire, November 2006

[In The Queen,] McCrory beautifully captured Mrs Blair's essence; that oddly jarring combination of verbal confidence and physical awkwardness.

-- Judith Woods (article author), The Telegraph, October 11, 2006

Helen McCrory provides delicious comic relief as Blair's wife, Cherie [in The Queen].

-- Robert Julian (article author), The Bay Area Reporter, October 12, 2006

Each member of the cast [of The Queen], from Sylvia Syms as the queen's mother (Brits call her the Queen Mum) to the delightfully wry Helen McCrory as thoroughly modern (in the best sense) Cherie Blair, is spot on.

-- Scott Holleran (article author), Box Office Mojo, October 16, 2006

[In The Queen,] Sheen nails Blair's passion and earnest enthusiasm, and Helen McCrory also does a fine job as Blair's wife, Cherie.

-- Kim Voynar (article author), Cinematical, October 20, 2006

Bows and curtsies are in order for Frears’ superbly directed cast, from Mirren and Sheen to American actor James Cromwell as Prince Phillip and Helen McCrory as Blair’s cheeky wife, Cherie.

-- Thomas Delapa (article author), Fort Collins Weekly, October 25, 2006

[In The Queen,] Helen McCrory and Mark Bazeley are wonderfully odious as Cherie Blair and Alistair Campbell respectively.

-- Simon Dillon (article author), Cross Rhythms, November 3, 2006

There's some sterling supporting work [in The Queen] ... from James Cromwell as Prince Philip, Alex Jennings ... as Prince Charles and Helen McCrory as Blair's opinionated wife.

-- Jeff Vice (article author), Deseret Morning News, November 3, 2006

Helen McCrory [is] currently winning big laughs onscreen with her lethally funny Cherie Blair in Stephen Frears' "The Queen."

-- David Benedict (article author), Variety, November 12, 2006

Also impressive [in The Queen] are Helen McCrory as the outspoken Cherie Blair and James Cromwell as Prince Philip.

-- John Burfitt (article author), Sydney Star Observer, December 14, 2006

[In The Queen,] Cherie [is portrayed with] a delightfully sneering performance from Helen McCrory.

-- Mark Naglazas (article author), The West, January 3, 2007

The performances [in The Queen] by James Cromwell as Prince Philip, Helen McCrory as Cherie Blair and Sylvia Syms as the queen mother all deserve honorable mention.

-- Alejandro Dowling (article author), The Badger Herald, January 18, 2007

Helen McCrory's cursory curtsy to the queen as Cherie Blair [in The Queen] is priceless.

-- Keith Demko (article author), Macon Telegraph, January 19, 2007

On its own, [Sherlock Holmes And The Case Of The Silk Stocking] a fine telemovie and the cast -- including Ian Hart, the fantastic Helen McCrory and Jonathan Hyde -- is in top form.

-- Michael Idato (article author), The Sydney Morning Herald, February 1, 2007

[Helen]'s made a big impact on film audiences with her portrayal of Cherie Blair in The Queen. ... She’s an impressive stage actress who made her debut at the National in Lorca’s Blood Wedding, for which she immediately won a best-actress award from the Manchester Evening News. Since then she has gathered a raftload. Films and television take second place, but she was recently memorable opposite Heath Ledger as Casanova’s mother. If anybody has it in them to eventually step into the shoes of Dame Judi, it’s most likely to be McCrory, although she will do it her way.

-- George Perry (article author), The Times, February 4, 2007

Helen McCrory, as Blair's wife, Cherie, provides gracious comic relief in a film about the aftermath of a tragedy.

-- Phoebe Flowers (article author), Sun-Sentinel, April 24, 2007

[Frankenstein features] the luminous Helen McCrory in the title role.

-- [article author unknown], The Guardian, August 28, 2007

[In Charles II,] Lady Villiers, lover and manipulator of the Restoration monarch, is the sexiest, most amoral bit of long skirt to hit the screen in years. Played by Helen McCrory, who did such a viciously marvellous job of playing Cherie Blair in the movie The Queen, makes this real-life Lady Macbeth a must-watch. ... But we can only hope to see more McCrory villainousness in other programmes to come.

-- Jane Clifton (article author), The Dominion Post, September 11, 2007

[In Five Gold Rings,] McCrory was singled out for her 'electrifying' performance. Her career is littered with award wins and spans an extraordinary dramatic range (she has played everything from Margaret Peel in the comedy Lucky Jim to Anna Karenina). ... She is lauded as one of the best Chekhovian actresses of her generation, and is a fine interpreter of Ibsen and Shakespeare -- her Lady Macbeth made one critic write, "I wish Shakespeare had written her more scenes."

-- Nigel Farndale (article author), The Telegraph, September 30, 2007

Mercurio has been clever enough to have cast Helen McCrory -- an actress adept at playing passionate women verging on the insane -- in the title role [in Frankenstein].

-- Gerard Gilbert (article author), The Independent, October 16, 2007

McCrory ... has ... the theatrical background, the ability to transform magnificently, to light up a stage or a screen with a special, transcendent kind of energy. ... McCrory is powerful in the role [of Victoria Frankenstein in Frankenstein].

-- Daphne Lockyer (article author), The Times, October 19, 2007

[Helen McCrory is] one of Britain's foremost actresses. ... Her acting credentials are impeccable. Often compared to Judi Dench, she has appeared in more than 40 plays, winning prestigious theatre awards.

-- Hannah Duguid (article author), The Independent, January 8, 2008

Helen McCrory, the actress who has triumphed on stages at the National, Royal Shakespeare Company and Donmar Warehouse (and who was seen at BAM in Sam Mendes' double bill of Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night), will act in Ibsen's tale of guilt, guile and morality, Rosmersholm.

-- Robert Simonson (article author), Playbill, January 19, 2008

Considered by many to be the best British actress of her generation, she has won so many awards over her 18-year career that her mantelpiece must need underpinning. So much in demand is she that a major London stage production, the forthcoming Rosmersholm at North London's Almeida Theatre, was held up for her until she had given birth to her second baby, Gulliver. When Helena Bonham Carter had to replace her as Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix because the pregnant Helen wasn't allowed by the insurers to perform the flying stunts required, Helen was offered another role instead as Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix's sister and Lucius's wife, in the next Potter film, The Half-Blood Prince, plus the one after that. And Daniel Craig, with whom she worked on the movie Enduring Love, hand-picked Helen for his new indie film Flashbacks of a Fool, the first movie to be executive-produced by the James Bond star. Could there be any better proof that frankly this is a woman worth waiting for?

-- Maureen Paton (article author), You, April 12, 2008

McCrory is the actress most directors want to work with. ... [She is] one of our great classical actresses -- she is openly compared to Judi Dench.

-- Liz Hoggard (article author), Evening Standard, April 15, 2008

This rare revival [of Rosmersholm] features the lovely Helen McCrory as the emancipated Rebecca West.

-- Robert Gore-langton (article author), Daily Mail, May 23, 2008

[In the third act of Rosmersholm,] a remarkable Helen McCrory pull[s] out the emotional stops. Miss McCrory [presents a] dazzling, climactic, confessional scene. This is a tremendous feat of emotional acting: the poised, cool Rebecca loses control. Tears soundlessly streak her face. Her voice cracks. Her face wears a look of anguish. The resolution of the couple's moral crisis is staged with a dispassionate calm, appropriate to this great, psychological, mystery drama.

-- Nicholas de Jongh (article author), Evening Standard, May 23, 2008

Anthony Page's revival [of Rosmersholm] maintains its grip, largely because Helen McCrory and Paul Hilton generate a quiet, unpretentious intensity while obeying the dramatist's own orders: “No declamation, no theatricalities, express every mood in a way that seems credible and natural.”

-- Benedict Nightingale (article author), The Times, May 26, 2008

McCrory’s Rebecca [in Rosmersholm] is equally impressive [as Paul Hilton's Rosmer]. ... Her physical transformation is just a small part of an incredibly nuanced depiction of a woman who could easily be turned into little more than a display of histrionic fireworks. Instead, the clash between West’s committed intelligence and her desires becomes a drama all of its own.

-- Andrew Haydon (article author), Postcards from the Gods, May 26, 2008

Helen McCrory is compelling as the manipulative heroine, especially when she reveals her guilty secrets, and Malcolm Sinclair is memorably chilling as the villain of the piece.

-- Charles Spencer (article author), The Telegraph, May 27, 2008

Where restraint works beautifully [in Rosmersholm] is in the brilliant central performance by Helen McCrory. ... It's a play that, badly handled, could lapse into melodrama. But McCrory's portrayal is all the more moving for being wonderfully understated. She confesses her part in driving the wife to suicide with a low-key, palpitating courage that radiates love for Rosmer.

-- Paul Taylor (article author), The Independent, May 28, 2008

[In Rosmersholm,] Rebecca West [is played by] the extremely moving Helen McCrory.

-- David Finkle (article author), Theatremania, May 30, 2008

[Rosmersholm] has a finely calibrated performance from Helen McCrory, who damps down ardour and febrility and ingeniously projects a level, beady, idealistic desperation: exactly the sort of desperation you might have after a harsh early life.

-- Susannah Clapp (article author), The Observer, June 1, 2008

Watching Helen McCrory, who's this incredible actress, every day, I was far more interested in her performance [in As You Like It] than my own.

-- Sienna Miller (costar in As You Like It), The Telegraph, June 7, 2008

Frankly, wanting to see this production of Rosmersholm had more to do with wanting to see the fab Helen McCrory (probably best known to Americans and other aliens at the moment as Cherie Blair in The Queen, but soon to be better known as Narcissa Malfoy in the Potter films) on stage. And she was indeed worth the trip, giving a magnetic performance.

-- Nick730 (article author), LiveJournal, June 19, 2008

The woman who is playing my wife (Helen McCrory) I've been a fan of for a very long time. In fact, one of the great things about going to do Harry Potter at all is that a lot of people who are my acting idols I see sitting in make-up chairs beside me. To get to do scenes with Gary Oldman and Richard Harris, Michael Gambon and now Helen McCrory, who I'm a big fan of -- it's fabulous.

-- Jason Isaacs (costar in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince), ComingSoon.net, June 25, 2008

Mr. Hilton and Ms. McCrory are quietly magnificent [in Rosmersholm], transforming melodramatic plot turns into natural steps in two people’s unwitting and dangerous self-discovery.

-- Ben Brantley (article author), The New York Times, July 1, 2008

Helen McCrory is hilarious as Cherie Blair [in The Queen], as is screen veteran Sylvia Syms playing the Queen Mum.

-- [article author unknown], The Sun, August 12, 2008

Most Americans don't know much about [Cherie Blair] beyond her character in the movie "The Queen," in which actress Helen McCrory can scarcely deliver a curtsy (Blair admits "my two left feet are not the best at curtsying") but still earns her envy ("Oh, I wish I was really that thin.")

-- Patt Morrison (article author) and Cherie Blair, Los Angeles Times, November 5, 2008

I should admit to continuing to enjoy one especially-stylized performance [in Life], as Helen McCrory (aka Mrs. Damian Lewis) returned as the rebel smoker, cleavage barer and all-around badass insurance investigator. Working in her native accent while her husband gets to show off his non-regional American diction, McCrory continues to be a blast to watch, and a nice counterpoint to Ted.

-- Alan Sepinwall (article author), New Jersey Star-Ledger, February 26, 2009

Helen McCrory is, without doubt, one of Britain's most powerful acting talents. Her acting range seems boundless. Helen has a very rare combination of personal qualities that she brings to her acting -- she is confident and assertive but also has a huge amount of compassion, which allows her to lace her characters with a sense of vulnerability as well as strength.

-- Brian Timoney (article author), MovieScope, Volume 3, Number 1, 2009 (June 2009)

When I see Helen McCrory's name attached to a project, a flash of happy anticipation illuminates my pleasure centre: I'm confident that whatever else, her performance will be worth the price of admission.

-- Lee Randall (article author), The Scotsman, July 11, 2009

[In Sherlock Holmes And The Case Of The Silk Stocking] McCrory makes Watson's wife-to-be an interesting enough addition to the cast that one wishes Doyle had done much more than he did with the dynamic between Holmes and Dr. & Mrs. Watson.

-- Jay Seaver (article author), eFilmCritic, December 24, 2009