Helen Mirren was afraid of the dark

Veteran actress Helen Mirren says she was scared of the dark and cemeteries in the past.

Mirren, 72, had some anxieties in the past, but has learned to overcome her terror in certain situations, reports hellomagazine.com.

"I used to be very scared of the dark. I've never really believed in ghosts, but I used to be very, very frightened of cemeteries at night. I don't feel the same any more. I could walk through a cemetery at night now without any problem, which I could never have done," said Mirren.

The "Winchester" actress, who is married to director Taylor Hackford, says one of the best pieces of advice she has ever been given was not to be "overcome" by her fears.

"The greatest words of wisdom I ever had were from my headmistress when I was about 10-years-old and going to an interview at the new big school I was moving to. She was a nun and in an enclosed oder, so she never really went out in the world," she said.

"But I think she understood that I was very, very frightened of going into this big school. She said, 'Be careful of fear. Fear is dangerous and don't let it overcome you'. I think that was a very, very wise thing to say," added "The Queen" actress.

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