The Big Picture

• Carey Mulligan's Hollywood career began in an unconventional manner, as she never underwent formal acting training at a drama school.
• Mulligan's persistence and dedication to acting paid off when she landed her movie debut in Pride & Prejudice and her TV debut in Bleak House.
• Mulligan's career has developed rapidly, with notable performances in films such as An Education, The Great Gatsby, and Promising Young Woman, and upcoming projects like Maestro. Her talent and versatility continue to shine in various genres and mediums.

Carey Mulligan is a recognizable face in Hollywood, especially following her critically acclaimed roles in popular movies like Promising Young Woman and The Great Gatsby. She is known for her emotional sensitivity and complex portrayals onscreen, where she has succeeded not only in television and film but also on the stage. Showcasing such varied and impressive talent, it is hard to believe that Mulligan never underwent formal acting training at a drama school. Her career actually began in a more unconventional manner, with the help of famed screenwriter and director Julian Fellowes leading to her debut role in Pride & Prejudice.

How Did Carey Mulligan's Hollywood Career Begin?

When Carey Mulligan was 17, she was already committed to her dream of becoming an actor, which encouraged her to apply to several drama schools in the UK. This was against her parents' wishes, who would have preferred that she attend a university instead. Unfortunately, Mulligan was not accepted to any of the schools she applied for, where competition for the limited number of places on offer is typically fierce.

Undeterred by this, Mulligan maintained her desire to pursue an acting career. During this period, she worked as a pub bartender and as a set runner at Ealing Studios, at which point she decided to write a letter to Julian Fellowes, proclaiming her dedication to the acting profession. Mulligan had previously spoken to Fellowes following a talk he’d given at her high school, at which point the industry legend was already renowned for his work on the script of Gosford Park (2001). At the time, Fellowes dismissed her passion, telling the young Carey Mulligan to “marry a lawyer” instead of pursuing a career in acting.

Carey Mulligan's Persistence Ultimately Paid Off

Undeterred by his comments, Carey Mulligan eventually tried again to attract Julian Fellowes’ interest after her failure to be admitted to any drama schools, where she wrote him a letter reiterating her passion for acting and asking for career advice. After several weeks, she received a response. Fellowes and his wife were to host a dinner party for like-minded young actors, directors, and writers who had also written asking for his expert opinion. It was here that Mulligan was introduced to a casting assistant working on a new Jane Austen adaptation. This was Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet. Carey Mulligan ultimately secured the role of Kitty Bennet, the younger sister and shadow of the more daring and outrageous Lydia (Jena Malone).

Pride & Prejudice became Carey Mulligan’s movie debut. Although often overshadowed by the greater role her sisters and others like Matthew Macfadyen's Mr. Darcy play in the movie, Mulligan’s Kitty is still memorable and pleasing, occasionally managing to steal the focus away from Lydia’s dominance. The role paved the way for Mulligan’s career to blossom, where, later in 2005, she also appeared as Ada Clare in the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation of Bleak House.

Bleak House marked Mulligan’s television debut. She would go on to deliver a number of memorable small-screen performances in the years that followed. Most notably in 2007, Mulligan appeared in the Doctor Who episode “Blink”, which famously introduces the Weeping Angels, one of the show’s most memorable and terrifying threats. Mulligan’s captivating performance as Sally Sparrow won her a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance in the sci-fi television category, an indicator of her developing talent.

Carey Mulligan’s Career Developed at a Rapid Pace

Carey Mulligan’s star continued to rise as she landed the role of Jenny in the 2009 film An Education, written by Nick Hornby. The movie received widespread critical attention and Mulligan, in particular, was praised for her performance, winning a BAFTA in addition to receiving nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Since then, Mulligan’s career has gone from strength to strength. She has appeared in numerous period pieces such as Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, the 2015 film adaptation of Far from the Madding Crowd, and Sarah Gavron’s Suffragette. Mulligan has also had theatrical success in 2014 with a revival of the play Skylight, also starring Bill Nighy and Matthew Beard. The play was applauded by critics, receiving an Olivier nomination for Best Revival that year. Mulligan also received her first Tony Award nomination when the play moved to Broadway in 2015.

Which Movies Has Carey Mulligan Been in Recently?

More recently, Carey Mulligan has starred in a number of highly successful films alongsid industry leaders. In 2018, she took on the role of Jeanette Brinson in the movie Wildlife, the directorial debut of Paul Dano, where Mulligan delivers a typically sensitive and emotionally weighty performance. Notably, Mulligan also starred in Emerald Fennell’s much-discussed thriller Promising Young Woman in 2020 and in the 2022 biographical drama She Said, which dramatizes how real-life reporters at the New York Times uncovered the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Since her debut, Mulligan has consistently delivered memorable and moving performances in all her roles, including 2023's Maestro opposite Bradley Cooper who takes on the role of director and star in Maestro, which depicts the life of famed American composer Leonard Bernstein alongside the relationship with his wife Felica Montealegre, played by Mulligan. The film also stars Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, and Jeremy Strong.

Ultimately, Carey Mulligan’s passion for acting ignited a dazzling career that is still very much underway, where she was undeterred by the setback of failing to secure a place at a prestigious drama school. This doesn’t seem to have hindered her career trajectory, which continues to go from strength to strength with every new project. Mulligan consistently stands out for her ability to approach a wide range of genres and mediums with equal amounts of poise and sensitivity, a testament to her unfaltering talent and her genius as an actor.

Pride & Prejudice is currently available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the U.S.

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