Carey Mulligan raves about Maestro co-star and director Bradley Cooper and begs Emerald Fennell to swap her 'little cameo' for the role of Poor Dear Pamela in Saltburn

Carey Mulligan spoke to Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 6 on Thursday morning to discuss her roles in the recently Oscar-nominated biopic Maestro and the Golden Globe-nominated erotic thriller Saltburn.

The BAFTA-winning actress, 38, spoke about directing and starring opposite Bradley Cooper in last year's hit biopic Maestro, before telling how she took on the role of Poor Dear Pamela in Saltburn.

Maestro is a 2023 American biographical romantic drama film that focuses on the relationship between American gay composer Leonard Bernstein, played by Bradley, and Carey's character: his actress wife Felicia Montealegre.

Carey told Lauren, “I was so surprised how much it helped to have my director perform with me. He could actually tell the way I did something by the way he played his role…

“It would get some kind of reaction out of me because he would do it a certain way, instead of giving me a verbal cue to do something else.”

Maestro was Carey and Bradley's first project together, although they had known each other for years. Carey shared how Bradley's passion helped her let go of all shame and fully embrace Felicia's character.

She said: 'He just went for it and didn't care and did what he had to do to make his performance feel as good as possible…

“I thought, “You know what? If I were a painter, I wouldn't be ashamed of what I had to do to make a great canvas. I'd make a mess and not worry about it.” So that's what I did and I'm very glad I did.'

To get into Felicia's character, Carey traveled to Chile to visit Felicia's extended family, but stayed longer than she intended.

She said: 'It was amazing. I mean, I loved it. I had never been to South America before so I just felt like I had to see where she came from and what she left…

'I think she was extremely ambitious as an actor and as an artist and very courageous to leave her hometown. I got Covid there, so I was there alone for two weeks…

'When you are there, you still feel like you are on the other side of the world and that was now, 2022.'

Carey also spoke to Lauren about her work on Saltburn, where she played the minor character Poor Dear Pamela. She said, “Every time Emerald [Fennell] creates something that it seems like no one else could have ever imagined…

'She directed Promising Young Woman, one of my favorite roles ever. I just love how she thinks and I love what she creates and the characters and she creates and she was so specific about Poor Dear Pamela. It was never Pamela…

“It was written into the script as Poor Dear Pamela, and that's why, because she asked me to play another role, like a smaller cameo, and I said, 'Em, can I please play Pamela?' So I can have poor dear Pamela on my resume forever.”

Saltburn reunited Carey with long-time friend Rosamund Pike – something she admitted was a joy after their long collaboration.

She said: 'She's a genius; she is hysterical. I was so excited because Ros and I have known each other since I was 18. I did my first job with Ros: we played sisters in Pride And Prejudice and then we did An Education together…

“So this was the third time we worked together and I just love her. She is the most incredible actress: she can literally do anything.

Carey's next project is the sci-fi drama Spaceman, due out in March.

She said, “It's Adam Sandler, me and a big spider. I mean, look at the trailer, it says it all. It's directed by Yohan Renck, an incredible director who directed Chernobyl…

“We shot it in Prague and it's a very crazy, artsy, beautiful Adam in his Uncut Gems, Punch-Drunk Love mode.”

Carey, who is married to Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons, also spoke about how music helps her through life, saying: 'The last piece I did was quite a serious monologue – the first part was meant to be funny but it was quite serious. …

'The rest is called Girls And Boys. And in the wings before that – because I was only on stage for 90 minutes and I was beyond nervous, it was the scariest thing I've ever done – I listened to Cher – If I Could Turn Back Time. Such a stunner…

'I would be in the boothI had the wings and I would just dance really loud to Cher because then I wouldn't be able to hear the audience. I had no idea I was about to walk in front of people. Marcus Mumford..

'And then, just as the lights went out, to go out and get on stage, I literally dropped my headphones on the floor – the nice director picked them up – and then I walked out and did it.. .

“And it was like I just had to shut out reality until I got on stage.”