IN ANOTHER OSCAR-TIPPED ROLE
ON THE ‘IMPOSSIBLY HIGH BAR’ SET BY ‘MAESTRO’
Carey Mulligan has much to celebrate. Not only has she welcomed her third child with her musician husband Marcus Mumford, but she’s also receiving glowing reviews for her role in an eagerly anticipated biopic.
Maestro follows the story of US composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, played by Bradley Cooper, and his marriage to Carey’s character, Costa Rica-born actress Felicia Montealegre.
Although the film is co-written and directed by Bradley, he gives top billing to his British leading lady, who is already being tipped for Oscar success for what looks like a career-defining moment.
“It completely changed me as an actor,” says Carey, 38. “I’ve never been all-in on a film like this before.
“Bradley asked me to totally commit in a way I really hadn’t before and it turned out to be the best experience I’ve ever had as an actor. I fell in love with acting and film even more because of the experience of making this film.”
Bradley, who made his directing debut with 2018’s A Star is Born, signed Carey up for the role of Felicia four years before filming began, after seeing her in an off-Broadway play. “He’d already been working on it for two years,” she says. “I saw how much passion and dedication he had for telling this story.”
Bradley carried that passion onto the set, where he took both the leading man and director roles. “I think we only had two days of Bradley as Bradley, just as director. The rest he was Lenny [Bernstein]. He was there as Lenny behind the camera with all the make-up and the wardrobe on, smoking. It was kind of weird, but it worked.
“I’d also get to see him as Bradley off set, of course, so he wasn’t always Lenny. I would see him on the weekend for a play date with the kids,” adds Carey, mum to Evelyn, seven, and Wilfred, five, along with her newborn, while Bradley has daughter Lea, six, from his former relationship with model Irina Shayk.
PEER PRESSURES
Being directed by an accomplished actor known for hit films including The Hangover and Silver Linings Playbook was intimidating at first, says the actress. “But then it becomes the most wonderful, helpful, brilliant, intuitive kind of vibe. With a director that doesn’t act, you can feel like: ‘Well, you try it, mate!’”
