Carey Mulligan Is a Very Proper Goofball - Fan Letters to Eminem, Her 'Gravity' Audition, and the Mistake that Earned Jake Gyllenhaal's Praise

Everyone loves Carey Mulligan. Have you ever mentioned her name and have someone respond “Eh, she’s not that great”? No, that doesn’t happen, because she’s the best. And something I’ve long loved about her is that underneath that erudite British accent and proper poise, she’s kind of a goofball.

SAG-AFTRA Foundation just posted a recent career conversation I did with the actor, and it only proves my point even more. She’s doing the rounds for Season Two of “Beef,” which will earn her her first Emmy Award if there’s any common sense in this universe. (Then again, she’s twice been robbed of an Oscar that should have been hers so I take nothing for granted.) I won’t say for which films but you can check out my Halloween costume from a few years back for a hint.

I’ve been interviewing her since her breakthrough performance in “An Education” and honestly expected someone prim and proper and veddy veddy British but she contains multitudes - as a young woman, she wrote letters to both Kenneth Branagh and Eminem. She’s always been incredibly warm, welcoming, and ready to make fun of herself. I pulled a few of my favorite moments to illustrate this point.

She talked a lot about her stage career - having made her Broadway debut in 2008 as Nina in “The Seagull” alongside Kristin Scott Thomas, Ann Dowd, her “An Education” costar Peter Sarsgaard, and Chewitel Ejiofor. We were discussing the differences between West End and Broadway audiences when she mentioned something that happened onstage with the latter - and delivered a perfect New York accent.

She also talked a lot about doing the one-person show “Girls & Boys” in 2018 and how she almost cancelled because she couldn’t find the character. Interestingly, she did one rehearsal barefoot and found that helped her lock in on who this woman was. She also talked about the fear of messing up her lines - and her friend Jake Gyllenhaal’s response to a night she lost herself for a moment.

She can truly do anything, which made me wonder what genres she has yet to tackle. I suggested a musical - and learned she actually did audition for “Mamma Mia!” She also went out for “Gravity” and revealed what a strange audition that was, as she had to wear the space helmet and spin herself around.

She also broke down that devastating elevator scene in “Drive,” working with Judi Dench in her first on-camera role, and her ongoing collaboration with “Beef” co-star Oscar Isaac.

Watch the full SAG-AFTRA Foundation below.