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With Promising Young Woman, Carey Mulligan went from indie star to Saturday Night Live host, given its overwhelmingly positive reception. Oh, and she’s nominated at the 2021 Academy Awards. Could this be Mulligan’s first time winning an Oscar?

Carey Mulligan is known for films like ‘Shame’ and ‘The Great Gatsby’

Mulligan began acting as a teenager. She loved the theater from a young age. Despite not getting into drama school, she made connections. Mulligan was cast as Kitty Bennet in the 2005 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley, marking her entrance into show business.

From there, Mulligan continued to act. She appeared in a handful of British TV series, including a beloved episode of the popular BBC series Doctor Who. She also remained a presence on stage. But Mulligan is best known for her roles in films such as Shame, The Great Gatsby, and Suffragette.

She’s nominated for an Oscar for ‘Promising Young Woman’

In 2020, Mulligan’s film Promising Young Woman debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Originally scheduled for a spring theatrical release, it was delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Instead, the movie began its limited theatrical run on December 25, 2020, along with a VOD release.

Promising Young Woman stars Mulligan as Cassie. She goes to bars and acts very drunk. When a man takes her home, she reveals that she’s been playing him. She does this as revenge for her best friend, who was raped in medical school. Cassie ultimately hatches a plan to take down the man responsible, but it comes at a cost.

Mulligan is ‘so excited’ to attend the Academy Awards

Following its release, Promising Young Woman quickly received high praise (and some criticism) from audiences and critics alike. Writer-director Emerald Fennell earned much of this positive attention, as did Mulligan for her performance. In fact, the latter is nominated for Best Actress at the 2021 Academy Awards.

After a year of award shows conducted (at least, in part) virtually, the Oscars will be an entirely in-person event. And Mulligan plans to be in attendance, mandatory quarantine period and all. “We never imagined ourselves getting to this point,” she said on Good Morning America. “I feel remarkable calm now and just very excited to go to this ceremony.”

She was previously nominated for ‘An Education’

Carey Mulligan at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards on March 7, 2010, in Hollywood, California.
Carey Mulligan at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards on March 7, 2010, in Hollywood, California. | Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
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This isn’t Mulligan’s first time at the Academy Awards. She previously attended in 2010. The Academy nominated her for Best Actress for her role in the 2009 coming-of-age drama An Education. Mulligan lost Sandra Bullock, who won for her performance in The Blind Side.

The actor knows a thing or two about award shows. She won a BAFTA for An Education as well as an Independent Spirit Award for her 2017 film Mudbound. For Promising Young Woman alone, she’s already won a handful of awards, including a Critics’ Choice Movie Award.

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