Wait — Carey Mulligan is British? I had no idea that Drive’s leading lady (two words: SEE IT!) hailed from across the pond until this morning, when I finally put two and two together and realized that she was the same gal who starred in An Education (94% on rottentomatoes), another movie I really enjoyed, despite it being way depressing.
Born Cary Hannah Mulligan on May 25, 1985, Carey would not take no for an answer when it came to her career. She was just a child when she took her older brother’s lead, performing in school plays after watching him in a production of The King and I. Her parents disapproved of her pursuing acting as a career and insisted she go to college instead. They hoped she’d outgrow the phase, but she was having none of that. After rejections from three drama schools, Carey wrote a letter to the headmistress of the school she was attending at the time and asked for help.
She explained how she didn’t want to attend college and asked the headmistress for a favor — an introduction to Julian Fellowes, an English actor, novelist and film director who she’d seen speak at the school. The headmistress obliged, and Fellowes then introduced Carey to the casting agent who helped her land the role of Kitty Bennett in 2005’s Pride & Prejudice alongside Keira Knightly.
That performance and a few more stints on TV and the stage lead to her breakthrough leading role as the 16-year-old Jenny in 2009’s An Education, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe, an Academy Award and a Screen Actor’s Guild award.
At just 26, Carey has already worked with some big names in Hollywood — director Oliver Stone and actor Michael Douglass in last year’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and, of course my man Ry-Ry in Drive. She’s currently working with Leonardo DiCaprio on the upcoming film version of The Great Gatsby.
As for her hair, Carey likes to keep it short and loves to play with color.
Loading ...Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Antonia at Swedish Love Affair says
September 18th, 2011 at 5:42 pm7! (4 is my least favorite)
Great poll, Karen!
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dani@callitbeauty says
September 18th, 2011 at 5:42 pmi voted #7 – i’ve been telling people all week that if i had the bone structure, i would totally cut my hair just like that <3.
dani@callitbeauty recently posted … All About Eyes – 5 Looks From NYX Cosmetics 10 Color Palette In Velvet Rope
Van says
September 18th, 2011 at 6:33 pmI <3 Carey Mulligan, the best actress ever! I love "An Education" and "Never Let Me Go"!
Kimberly says
September 18th, 2011 at 7:02 pmShe will ALWAYS be Sally Sparrow to me. (From Doctor Who, in the episode that introduced the scariest monsters of all – Blink)
Meghan says
September 19th, 2011 at 9:12 amSame here! I had no idea she’d hit the big time until I started seeing her pictures from awards shows and stuff.
Pamela says
September 19th, 2011 at 11:31 amYes, Blink is the only thing I’ve seen her in. You would think long hair on her might overwhelm her pixi-ish face but of course she looks as cute as ever.
Hmm, I guess I can’t post a picture of her with long hair but googling Sally Sparrow brings up plenty of pictures.
M says
September 18th, 2011 at 7:18 pmHow is “An Education” a way depressing movie? I found it an uplifting coming of age story. Yes she didn’t get the guy, but she grew up! She went back to school and got into Oxford University.
BooBooNinja says
September 18th, 2011 at 8:00 pmI picked 7 too!
In my eyes, Carey Mulligan can do little wrong. She is adorable, and a fantastic actor.
If you thought “An Education” (which I loved!) depressing, you might not want to watch “Never Let Me Go” co-starring Kiera Knightly (again) and Andrew Garfield. It is based on the incredible crafted, disturbing,and thought-provoking novel of the same title by Kazuo Ishiguru.
BooBooNinja says
September 18th, 2011 at 8:01 pmps I’d recommend the book over the movie.
Have you read it?
Elaine says
September 18th, 2011 at 8:00 pmOMG can we please talk about how AWESOME Drive is? The first half – so romantic, and then the gore, holy cow. I was so surprised how gory it was!!! I am also now obsessed with the song that was playing during the opening credits (Kavinsky – Nightcall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7az3_-lvmNk)
And Ryan Gosling… sigh. He makes my heart melt, especially as a badass. I have liked every movie I’ve seen him in, and I loved him in Breaker High when I was a kid 😛
BooBooNinja says
September 18th, 2011 at 8:04 pmRG is dreamy. I liked how he and Steve Carrell played off each other in Crazy, Stupid, Love.
I went to university in Toronto, and I remember my friends telling me stories about RG getting beat up at parties by people who wanted to be able to boast that they had bested Young Hercules. Gosling, for those who don’t know, played the eponymous role in the YH series.
kalcedon says
September 19th, 2011 at 5:18 amI saw her once on a gala red carpet (I don’t remember which one) with a braided mop of hair pinned to the side… that was my fave hairstyle of her inmho :). She’s really cute and a sensational actress, too, btw.
Nina says
September 19th, 2011 at 5:53 amwhen I think of Carey Mulligan, the pixie cut automatically comes to mind. she is gorgeous!
Amanda says
September 19th, 2011 at 8:08 amI just love her – she’s a fantastic actress. And she looks so cute with short hair!
Barbara says
September 19th, 2011 at 1:05 pmI’ve never seen her in anything but she is very cute! She is engaged to Marcus Mumford of the band Mumford and Sons. They were childhood penpals through their churches and she went to one of his concerts this year and they became reaquainted.