NEW ORLEANS –  She’s an Oscar winning movie star.  She won for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in the movie “The Queen”.

But she had never spoken at a college graduation until she gave the commencement address for Tulane University’s Class of 2017.

The graduation was on Saturday, May 20.

WGNO News with a Twist features guy Wild Bill Wood was there at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for the graduation ceremony as Helen Mirren inspired nearly 3,000 graduates.

Helen Mirren may have suprised these kids kids when she told them about and showed them a tattoo on her hand.

The tattoo is a Mayan symbol.

Helen says it means respect others, work with others even if they’re the opposite from you.

After the tale of the tattoo came more of Helen’s star-studded life story.

She told about her start in acting working with the Royal Shakespeare Company in her home in England.  Before that she acted in school production in high school.

Helen went to a teaching college in London. By the time she was 20, she was playing Cleopatra in a production.

Listening to her among the students was her husband, Taylor Hackford. They met while on the set of the movie “White Nights”.

An Indian hand reader told her that her success would not peak until she reached her late forties.

When she won the Oscar for her role in “The Queen”, she gave thanks to the real Queen Elizabeth II.

Helen Mirren said the Queen has maintained her dignity, her sense of duty and her hair style. Helen saluted her for weathering many storms with hat on head and handbag in arm.