Toronto Helen Mirren says she thinks U.S. actors are amazing at expression vigorous films since they approach the job with such dump. British actors, on the other hand, are further aloof, said the Oscar-winner, adding that she was a bit frightened by her role in the new animated 3D film Legend of the Guardians the Owls of Ga’Hoole.

I find it pretty daunting, Mirren said in a phone interview earlier this week. Americans in common are very free actors, you discern, that kind of the way they approach the whole business of acting. I think British actors are more sort of wary and controlled they are just more afraid of being free.

Part of the basis she wanted to tone the character of the iniquity owl Nyra was to be trained that kind of freedom and enjoy it, said Mirren, who formerly took on the Queen character in 1998’s vivacious Prince of Egypt. In fact, though Legend of the Guardians is aimed at by a U.S. filmmaker Zack Snyder and is based on a succession of books by U.S. author Kathryn Lasky, it is Australians who direct the production.