Helen Mirren was scared of being rejected in drama school, and she didn’t impress in her first major theatre role. She still struggles to overcome procrastination, and finding the discipline to maintain a fitness routine is a daily challenge that often results in a stare-down with her yoga mat.
That’s according to the award-winning actor’s “Worth It” resume, a mock LinkedIn profile that’s part of a L’Oréal Paris and McCann Agency campaign highlighting how challenges can be a critical component of success. The campaign stemmed from a KPMG survey which found that 81% of women feel more pressure not to fail than men, the cosmetics giant said.
“Let me tell you a little secret about failure and success,” Mirren’s “resume” says. “Success is wonderful, it’s very enjoyable, but it doesn’t really lead you anywhere.” Avoiding failure means missing out on crucial opportunities, she says.
Mirren, of course, has more than overcome her setbacks to become one of the most successful actors of all time.
“All these failures helped me become an actress who has won 1 Oscar, 4 BAFTAs, 3 Golden Globes, 5 Emmy Awards, and 1 Tony Award,” the resume says.
Also participating in the campaign are L’Oréal Paris ambassadors Eva Longoria, Andie MacDowell, Jane Fonda, Aja Naomi King and Kate Winslet. Along with their greatest achievements, they share the struggles and setbacks they suffered along the way to success.
King, who co-starred in the ABC series “How to Get Away with Murder,” shares that she has been rejected for roles in a major studio film, on a network TV show and on Broadway. Longoria says she has struggled to get directing jobs. Andie McDowell shares the embarrassment of having had to have her voice overdubbed by another actress.
Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, Global Brand President, L’Oréal Paris, said the “Worth It Resume” campaign aims to create a new definition of success.
“It’s really a tribute to the challenges we all face that are in truth the steppingstones to success,” she said.
“As a woman, I have experienced the immense sense of pressure to be perfect, but I have found that you have to step out of your comfort zone and become comfortable with hitting a few roadblocks on the journey to success,” Longoria said. “My hope in sharing my own failures in my ‘Worth It Resume’ is to help women around the world redefine how they view success by inspiring them to celebrate the setbacks, the failures and the struggles that may ultimately lead them to their achievements.”
Women are encouraged to share their own setback stories using #WorthItResume across social platforms.