NEW YORK (AP) — Helen Mirren's acting inspirations involve fur and diapers.

The Oscar-winning actress says she hopes to capture the magic of dogs and babies in her performances because "you cannot take your eyes off them ... they are fantastic."

Mirren, 71, spoke earlier this week at a Manhattan lunch celebrating her AARP cover for December/January. The actress, who is starring as Death in this month's "Collateral Beauty," tried to offer an explanation as to how she's maintained her longevity in Hollywood. She credited her work in theater and the fact that she never had any interest in being a movie star.

But Mirren said she was able to "let go" and not focus on trying to be what she may have once been — a problem she sees for other actors her age.

"They're clinging on to what they were, and they aren't that anymore," she said.

And while Mirren is celebrated for her looks as well as her acting, she dismissed the notion of being a sex symbol: "I would argue ... I'm so not that."

"It's just something that gets hung on your backpack, and you can never get it off," she said.