As a teenager, Carey Mulligan wrote letters to filmmakers asking for advice on breaking into the biz. After tepid responses, and rejections from U.K. training programs, her determination paid off with a screen debut in 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice” and stage performances in her native London. In her “In the Envelope” interview, Carey reveals the intricacies of her creative process in the years since, including how to protect her own emotions from those of her characters. “I’m just really interested in playing women that feel real,” she says of all her film, TV, and theater roles. “And I’m fascinated by this idea of the ‘unlikable’ woman.”

Carey broke into Hollywood with her Oscar-nominated, BAFTA Award–winning work in “An Education,” going on to star in “Never Let Me Go,” “Drive,” “Shame,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Mudbound,” “Wildlife,” and onstage in “The Seagull,” “Skylight,” and “Girls & Boys.” In 2021, she leads Netflix’s “The Dig” and is the producer-star of Focus Features’ acclaimed feminist thriller from Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman.” Read her 2018 Backstage cover story here: https://bit.ly/2JRtpNZ

Stay tuned for Christine McKenna-Tirella’s advice on making New Year’s resolutions! And read the latest from Secret Agent Man: https://bit.ly/2MFRwQJ

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Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Jack Smart, Awards Editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: https://bit.ly/2OMryWQ

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Special thanks to...

- Host: Jack Smart

- Producer: Jamie Muffett

- Social media: Katie Minard, Alysa Cirelli

- Design: Mark Stinson, Caitlin Watkins

- Additional support: Kasey Howe, Samantha Sherlock, Benjamin Lindsay, Oriella St. Louis