After more than 15 years in the game, English-born Carey Mulligan has proven herself to be one of the most talented and exciting actresses working today. With two Oscar nominations to her name, she’s delivered an incredible array of characters and performances, many of which should have been recognized by the Academy.
To celebrate the esteemed actress, Variety ranks her 11 best film performances of her career so far.
Many remember her film debut in Joe Wright’s breathtaking “Pride and Prejudice” (2005) as Kitty Bennett opposite Keira Knightley. Her big break came when she was given the starring role of Jenny in the coming-of-age drama “An Education” (2009). Helmed by Lone Scherfig, the movie’s best picture nomination by the Oscars marked the first time two women-directed features were nominated in the top category in the same year. The other was Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker,” which won. Mulligan’s wistfully methodical portrayal earned her a BAFTA statuette for best actress and an Oscar nom.
After her nom, Mulligan continued exploring challenging and dynamic roles over the next decade, working with some of Hollywood’s most talented actors and directors. As Irene, she surrendered to the Driver (Ryan Gosling) in an elevator in Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” (2011). As Sissy, she displayed heartbreak in the lyrics of the song “New York, New York” opposite Michael Fassbender in Steve McQueen’s criminally underrated “Shame” (2011). Finally, as Jean, she showed frustration in choosing between Oscar Isaac and Justin Timberlake in the Coen Brothers’ masterpiece “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013).
Her next Oscar nom wouldn’t happen until Emerald Fennell steered her into the revenge drama “Promising Young Woman” (2020). Then, in the third instance of two female-directed films nominated for the Academy’s top prize, Mulligan won the second most precursors for her turn as Cassie, a woman looking to right the wrong caused by the men who assaulted her friend during college. Unfortunately, with a global pandemic, a changing BAFTA voting practice that resulted in an egregious snub, and an overlong awards season, she wound up losing the prize to Frances McDormand (“Nomadland”), which would be her third best actress statuette.
More to come from the wife of Mumford and Sons’ leading vocalist Marcus Mumford and the mother of two. She’ll star opposite Adam Sandler and Paul Dano in “Spaceman” by Johan Renck. Many have their eyes on her upcoming role as Leonard Bernstein’s wife, Felicia Montealegre, in Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro.”
Read through the list below and watch the clip of the “scene that proves it” for each selection.
Honorable mentions: “Pride and Prejudice” (2005), “The Great Gatsby” (2013), “The Dig” (2021)
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Never Let Me Go (2010)
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Kathy H
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures)
Directed by: Mark Romanek
Written by: Alex Garland (based on “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro)The scene that proves it: “We all complete.”
A dream cast is assembled by director Mark Romanek, and pre-“Ex Machina” (2015) screenwriter Alex Garland, in this beautiful adaptation of the famous novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. Mulligan, along with Oscar-nominees Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Sally Hawkins and Charlotte Rampling, plays one-third of three young adults who reflect on their time at a boarding school, leading to a tear-filled ending voiceover that can still get the ducts going again.
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Suffragette (2015)
Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Maud Watts
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
Directed by: Sarah Gavron
Written by: Abi MorganThe scene that proves it: “We will win.”
As laundry work Maud Watts, Mulligan plays the voice of women in the period drama “Suffragette” by director Sarah Gavron. Wrapped in the protests of the injustices women faced in 1912 (many of which are still under attack in present-day), Mulligan delivers a steering turn as the 24-year-old fighter during the women’s suffragette movement, alongside an impressive cast including Oscar-winner Meryl Streep, Oscar-nominee Helena Bonham Carter, Natalie Press and Brendan Gleeson.
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Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)
Image Credit: ©Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Bathsheba Everdene
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures)
Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg
Written by: David Nicholls (based on “Far from the Madding Crowd” by Thomas Hardy)The scene that proves it: “Let No Man Steal Your Thyme”
It’s one of the under-the-radar films in Carey Mulligan’s filmography, but Oscar-nominated director Thomas Vinterberg (“Another Round”) gets some of the best moments out of her, and her co-star Michael Sheen in the Thomas Hardy novel retelling. In many ways, outdoing Julie Christie’s outing back in 1967, she introduces the literary icon Bethsheba Everdene to a new generation.
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Drive (2011)
Image Credit: FilmDistric/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Irene Gabriel
Distributed by: FilmDistrict
Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by: Hossein Amini (based on “Drive” by James Sallis)The scene that proves it: Meeting the Driver
The stylistic assembly of Nicolas Winding Refn’s soundtrack-filled drama is a standout from the 2011 feature. While the movie lies upon the shoulders of stars Ryan Gosling, Albert Brooks and Bryan Cranston, it’s the subtle glances at the Driver as he takes her and her son on a joyride, the way she looks up at him as he pushes her to the corner of the elevator and the heartbreak after she knocks on his door in the final scene that cinch the movie. It’s a beautiful outing for her in a year where she delivered another brilliant turn in Steve McQueen’s “Shame.”
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Mudbound (2017)
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection Role: Laura McAllan
Distributed by: Netflix
Directed by: Dee Rees
Written by: Dee Rees, Virgil Williams (based on the novel “Mudbound” by Hillary Jordan)The scene that proves it: “Country and violence.”
As Laura, a wife whose husband (Jason Clarke) relocates them to Mississippi during World War II, Carey Mulligan once again speaks for the voice of a generation of women who all too often took the backseat. Her reserved interpretation went unnoticed in exquisite scenes with Oscar-nominee Mary J. Blige (primarily due to a leading campaign push instead of supporting). The two would have been very complementary alongside one another.
Also noteworthy, Mulligan’s involvement represents another record-breaker in the Oscar world, with the film’s nominations for cinematography (Rachel Morrison being the first woman nominated in the category) and adapted screenplay (Rees was the first Black woman nominated for adapted screenplay, alongside Puerto Rican-Black scribe Virgil Williams).
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Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Image Credit: CBS Films/Everett Collection Role: Jean Berkey
Distributed by: CBS Films
Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Written by: Joel Coen, Ethan CoenThe scene that proves it: “…because everything you touch turns to shit.”
The frustration of Jean, a singer who had a fling with Llewyn Davis (played expertly by Oscar Isaac in their second outing together), is lusciously displayed in the Coen Brothers’ folk dreamscape. She also sports some tender vocal chops alongside Justin Timberlake.
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An Education (2009)
Image Credit: ©Sony Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Jenny Mellor
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Directed by: Lone Scherfig
Written by: Nick Hornby (“An Education” by Lynn Barber)The scene that proves it: “You’re telling me to be bored…”
Mulligan’s breakthrough performance as Jenny, a student who falls for an older man (played by Peter Sarsgaard), is an excellent Oscar introduction for any performer. With her powerful exchanges with her father (played by an Oscar snubbed Alfred Molina) and eye-opening conversations with the headmistress (Emma Thompson) and friend Helen (Rosamund Pike), she captures the spirit of the 1960s era in a worthy nominated (and BAFTA-winning) performance.
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She Said (2022)
Image Credit: ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Megan Twohey
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Directed by: Maria Schrader
Written by: Rebecca Lenkiewicz (based on the New York Times investigation by Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey, Rebecca Corbett; and the book “She Said” by Kantor and Twohey)The scene that proves it: “Could you leave us alone? We’re talking.”
In one of “She Said’s” opening scenes, Megan Twohey, played brilliantly by Mulligan, is interviewing a woman to come forward in 2016 and speak out regarding abuse she suffered by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. The woman asks Twohey if Trump comes after her in the court system, could the New York Times help her with legal services. Twohey morbidly responds, “News organizations cannot provide legal services.” The specific line perfectly encapsulates the stark choices that any assault survivor must face when asked to go on the record.
Mulligan navigates the brutal and harrowing drama with precision, ushering one of her most extraordinary turns yet as a journalist, and mother, walking through the pitfalls of the ugly parts of the media industry.
The Oscars failed to recognize her stunning portrayal, however, perhaps it was not buying the supporting campaign when it’s clearly a co-lead with her equally moving co-star Zoe Kazan.
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Wildlife (2018)
Image Credit: ©IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection Role: Jeanette Brinson
Distributed by: IFC Films
Directed by: Paul Dano
Written by: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan (based on the novel “Wildlife” by Richard Ford)The scene that proves it: “I used to dress like this all the time when I was younger…”
Before Carey Mulligan teams up with Zoe Kazan for Maria Schrader’s “She Said,” in 2022, we’ve seen her work under her words with the coming-of-age film “Wildlife” from first-time director Paul Dano. Told through the eyes of Joe, played by an excellent Ed Oxenbould, the film examines a couple going through a divorce and its toll on everyone. Alongside an amazing Jake Gyllenhaal, it’s one of the sad truths that the film was shut out of the Oscars because Mulligan’s work was among the very best of that year.
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Promising Young Woman (2020)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Role: Cassie
Distributed by: Focus Features
Directed by: Emerald Fennell
Written by: Emerald FennellThe scene that proves it: “You really don’t remember me?”
Carey Mulligan had the full backing of Film Twitter when the Emerald Fennell film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020. The film captured the zeitgeist’s questions surrounding women’s safety in a male-dominated world. After picking up the Critics Choice statuette, she was rewarded (finally) with her second Oscar nomination for best actress for her efforts. With so many scenes getting to stretch her acting legs (and it’s difficult not to choose any of which she shares with Bo Burnham), she’s most on fire in her “dangling carrot” type of usage with the college dean’s daughter (Connie Britton), stoking fear into the viewer.
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Shame (2011)
Image Credit: ©Fox Searchlight/Courtesy Everett Collection Role: Sissy Sullivan
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures)
Directed by: Steve McQueen
Written by: Steve McQueen, Abi MorganThe scene that proves it: “New York, New York”
Carey Mulligan bares more than her soul in Steve McQueen’s erotic drama, which stands as her most egregious Oscar snub after delivering a towering performance. In a look into the life of Brandon (played by Venice Volpi Cup winner Michael Fassbender), there’s very little divulged of his problematic past, other than what his sister Sissy (Mulligan) can channel in many fiery scenes.
The women of “Shame” provide the needed insight for the viewer to engage and care for Brandon’s well-being. Aside from the emotionally restrained scene with Marianne (played by Nicole Beharie), we see glimpses into childhood as Brandon and Sissy talk freely as his sister stands in the shower naked, a heartbreaking exchange on the couch and a phone message that breaks down every convention of voice work.
However, in the masterfully constructed musical rendition of “New York, New York,” thanks to cinematographer Sean Bobbitt and editor Joe Walker, her artistic offering to the cinematic landscape is given. Another awards-worthy delivery.