Tuesday nights’ (Jan. 30) episode of the Late Late Show‘s fiery battle rap segment “Drop the Mic” featured a heavyweight lyrical bout between to British talents. Host James Corden took on one of Hollywood’s biggest English stars Dame Helen Mirren, and the result was simply hilarious.
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The event began with Corden strolling into the ring wearing a shiny silver boxing robe, clearly ready for the challenge. Introduced as, “This Dame who doesn’t give a damn,” Mirren pulled up in her own regal-looking costume, donning a crown and all.
It was the host who would draw first blood as Corden hit the British mega star and star of the new thriller Winchester with an onslaught of verbal fury. “Helen is basically an icon in her craft/ When I heard she wanted to battle me all I could do was laugh/ Back home she’s considered the actress you have to fear/ We’re in America now, Meryl Streep lives here,” rapped Corden.
“You dated Liam Neeson back in 1982/ He left you real quick he wasn’t taken with you/ Helen’s so beloved she’s in her own class/ She played the queen but now she’s a royal pain in my ass,” he continued.
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Mirren was not to be deterred, however, lashing back quickly with a few shots of her own.
“I’m the one you should fear, wherever I go/ If I’m a pain in your ass, that leaves a lot of room to grow/ You stand out, but for games and banter/ Other shows do comedy, you just pander,” flowed the Oscar-winning actress.
After Corden’s round two of hot-fire, in which he called the actress overrated, Mirren came with the nuclear blow, which left the crowd applauding among a sea of oohs and ahs.
‘You thought you could beat me, sorry game over/ I’ll cook this beef, here’s why, for an ole lover/ He’s obsessed with my exes, sorry James I’m not single/ But you know I taught your little mister to tingle,” she rapped, as the last line left Corden bowing down.
Check the clip out below.