Oscar winner Helen Mirren is adding some serious pedigree to the cast of the eighth "Fast and Furious" flick, "The Fate of the Furious," and now, fans know who the celebrated British actress will be playing

Actor Luke Evans, who last appeared in the "Fast" franchise back in 2013's "Fast & Furious 6," recently chatted with Yahoo! Movies about his new role as haughty villain Gaston in Disney's upcoming "Beauty and the Beast" remake. But conversation briefly turned to Evans's "Fast" role, in which he played Owen Shaw, the younger brother of Jason Statham's character, Deckard Shaw, and whether or not the "Fast" foe could return to the series someday.

While answering that query, the actor spilled the beans about Mirren's part.

"People come around from comas, so who knows?" Evans told Yahoo! Movies. "He's in a military hospital because he's the most wanted man in the world, but he's got a very powerful brother, and he's now got a mum as well, who's played by Helen Mirren."

Mirren playing the mother of the villains -- but not necessarily getting behind the wheel herself -- jibes with what the actress herself said about her part in an interview last fall. At the time, she told Variety that she wasn't driving in the flick, but would be spending time with Statham's character.

"I had always had a secret hankering to do 'Fast and Furious,' because I love driving cars," Mirren told the trade at the time. "Of course, when I finally got my chance, I wasn't driving the bloody car. I was in the back of an ambulance with Jason Statham."

Studio Universal declined to comment on Evans's remarks, so we can't be 100 percent sure who Mirren is playing just yet. But their British connection -- and Mirren's reference of scene partner Statham -- heavily implies the actor is correct.

Fans will find out for themselves when "The Fate of the Furious" hits theaters on April 14.

[via: Yahoo! Movies]