The November issue of Elle UK is The Feminism Issue. So they put a grim-looking Carey Mulligan, the star of this year’s Oscar-bait film Suffragette, on the cover. In a baggy pantsuit. Because feminism. Actually, I bet the editorial is so baggy and pantsuit-tastic because Carey was heavily pregnant during the shoot and she didn’t want to do a bump-conscious editorial. Anyway, the reason Carey and Meryl Streep are saying words about feminism these days is because they are going to try to make Suffragette a big awards-contender. Many believe Carey will get another Oscar nomination too. So, obviously, Elle UK asked her about feminism and such. Some highlights:
The “strong woman” label: “You don’t say to men, ‘You played another really strong man’. The idea that women are inherently weak and we’ve identified the few strong ones to tell stories about…is mad. A lot of the stuff I read is playing so-and-so’s wife, so-and-so’s girlfriend. That’s not where the story is: I want to play him.”
She’s not sure she would have been a suffragette back in the day: “You’d like to think that you would [but] you’re a product of your time. I can express my opinion, but I’ve never had to fight, to stand up for anything. And the notion of walking into a gallery with a knife and destroying a piece of art, that seems unbelievably terrifying to me. And that’s just one, tame example of what they did.”
Whether the world should be run by women: “Someone asked me yesterday, ‘Do you think it would be a better world if it were run by women?’ And the answer is no, I think it would be a better world if it were run equally – we’re still so far from that.”
Her impending motherhood: “I’ve always wanted to be a mother. I love what I do, but I’m excited for this next phase of my life.”
Playing Daisy in The Great Gatsby: “Playing Daisy was the first time I felt physically intimidated by a role, I remember reading horrendous sh** [online] when I got cast, people saying, ‘She’s not pretty enough to play Daisy.’ I felt so embarrassed. I thought, ‘They’re right, I shouldn’t do it’ – all those mad insecurities that you have.’
I’m interested in seeing Suffragette just because I don’t know a lot about the history of the movement in Britain and America. It will be interesting to see a historical drama specifically about the women’s movement, because that rarely happens. In Hollywood, history is only about dude stories. As for Carey not wanting the world to be run by women as much as she wants equality… sure. I get that.
Photos courtesy of Elle UK.
tell that to your local Fox news anchor/ GOP representative!
???
That women aren’t weak.
This seems refreshingly reasonable. I’m looking forward to the movie too, to extend my knowledge of the suffragette movement in Britain beyond Mrs. Banks signing “Shoulder to shoulder into the fray…”
Well done, Sister Suffragettes!
Our daughter’s daughters will adore us…and they’ll sing in grateful chorus….
I’m with her! I don’t want a world run by women. I want a Congress that’s close to 50/50, and the thought of having a woman president to be a toss-up versus a male one instead of a novelty.
Agreed!
I think when people try to paint feminism as being about a goal of male oppression and female domination, they are wrong. Feminism is about equality between genders and the recognition that we aren’t there yet.
It’s as if the only model available is the men’s model of competition and dominance. “I play win, lose.” So, if women have ‘more,’ it means women are “winning’ and therefore men are ‘losing.’ Women can tend to have such a different paradigm.
And look, I want women to have the same opportunities so they can also be idiots like man too without getting the “oh that’s bc she is a woman”. That superiority complex about women being better than man annoys me.
She’s my last hope.
I would be truly heartbroken if she came up with a crap comment while promoting a film about suffragettes.
Speaking of feminism a friend of my daughter (9 year old) announced today that suffragettes were women ‘in Victorian times who wanted more money’.
Made me laugh.
I love her. She is such a chameleon.
My thoughts exactly.
It’s true. I loved her in Gatsby, but I especially love her as Sally Sparrow in Doctor Who.
She was amazing in An Education. I loved that movie so much.
She floored me in An Education. She says so much even while saying very little.
She is wonderful! I saw her live in Skylight with Bill Nighy when I was in London last summer and she was just captivating – somehow able to draw you in right from the opening moments and hold you rapt throughout.
It’s funny, because outside of her work she comes across a little bit bland, but onscreen (or in character may be a better way to describe it) you can’t take your eyes off of her.
Kaiser – Amanda Vickery just did a fantastic 3-part documentary on the women’s movement in Britain. You can see some clips here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b054q82y. If you ever get a spare afternoon, it would be really worth searching it out online (I’m sure it’s up somewhere). Really great work.
PS: full episodes are on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCty50zaGro&list=PLRxCDFGzDouwhJuPopNfrmkHqFtHf7khF.
Seriously – fab documentary and really worth watching.
I was going to say maybe they styled her that way and posed her as they would for a cover for a male actor (position of power starring down the viewer) but the other shot she’s hiding in her jacket, more “cutesy.” So idk weird styling… then again what else are they going to do with all the leisure suitwear out from the runways.
Good quotes by Carey. She seems like a smart person, and I like her more and more as an actress.
This cover is what those folks who don’t understand feminism think feminism looks like.
^^+10000^^
I love her. But I didn’t like her as Daisy in The Great Gatsby. It was far less with her physical appearance (she looked the part) but her actual portrayal. Daisy isn’t a central character but she does have a strong presence in the novel. And you actually have to believe that Gatsby would go to the lengths that he did because of his love of Daisy and what she represented. There was zero chemistry between Carey and Leo.
She seems like someone I would want to be friends with. She’s reasonable.
soooo looking forward to this film, the cast is amazing.
and i like her answers.
I saw the movie at an advance screening recently and it was absolutely fantastic!
I’m SO excited.
I agree with Carey. I am raising a feminist without even knowing it. My daughter is 15 and volunteers to teach elementary girls how to code (computer programming). Because she’s been learning computer coding since she was 9, she recently appeared in a University magazine. She said,
“People seem to think girls only want to go into creative fields and boys want to do the science and math fields,” she said. “But really, we can do everything a boy does—even better.”
I wish she could speak to women who seem to think that wanting equal access and opportunity to pursue that which is our dreams and our strengths is promoting a threat to men.
You are doing a great job!:D
Yes, the world would be better if it was run by women. Sorry, not sorry.
Attitudes like this do more damage to feminism than anything Rush Limbaugh could ever say.
This is precisely why I dislike the feminist movement in its current form.
No it wouldn’t. We are not better. We can be idiots, arrogant, incompetent, greedy and lame human beings like many man are. And part of feminism is allowing women to be that too. Just bc I’m a woman doesn’t mean I’m precious flower with a big heart and better morals than man. being good isn’t about gender!
Love this!
That approach helped get women the vote, then we found out women voted the same ways men did — with their wallets and their ideologies. Men and women are both from Planet Earth.
As a woman, I’d say that would be a disaster. We need the strengths of both genders leading and making great contributions.
Also, it’s not my type of movie, but Far from the Madding Crowd was FANTASTIC. Super feminist too. I loved it so much I decided I need to read the book and bought it that day.
Soooo… this is the ‘feminist’ issue and she’s photographed in grey, shapeless clothes without her legs crossed. Got it. Totally breaking down stereotypes. *nod
I mean.. I love Carey, and she’s also beautiful, but why don’t they let her wear a little blush???
Anyway they do a movie like suffragettes and Meryl Streep still say ‘words’ about femminism.. shouldn’t she know what it means if she does a movie like that? What the hell!
I love everything about Carey.
She’s so classy, sophisticated and spellbindingly gorgeous in such a natural way. I always find myself staring at Carey. In Hollywood, I find her refreshing. I love that her career is really evolving. I always have time to watch her on screen.
Love this Lauren Bacall-ish kind of attitude I’m getting from these pics. I like Carey.