Carey Mulligan Got Her Role in Maestro Thanks to a Traumatic Accident

Summary

• Maestro is a standout Netflix movie that is unlike any of the platform's other projects.
• The film's creator, Bradley Cooper, met Carey Mulligan during her performance, where she almost suffered a life-threatening injury.
• The actress feared for her life and future after the accident.

When we talk about Netflix, we usually think of mass-market projects. Romantic dramas, thrillers, and comedy shows – the streaming service has plenty of titles to offer, but no matter how brilliant they may be, they have more to do with entertainment than art. That said, the platform does seem to have more creatively satisfying projects.

Maestro, released at the end of 2023, was one of the most notable premieres of the year. The biopic premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, then had a limited theatrical run a few months later before landing on Netflix. Created by and starring Bradley Cooper, Maestro follows legendary American composer Leonard Bernstein, exploring his legacy, his complicated life, and his even more complicated relationship with his wife Felicia, portrayed by Carey Mulligan. And interestingly enough, the actress has a dangerous accident to thank for getting the role.

The Accident

According to the Maestro creator, he was doing research on Felicia Montealegre when he met Carey Mulligan during her one-woman play in Manhattan's West Village. The actress' resemblance to Bernstein's wife was striking, but it was her artistic integrity and perseverance that won him over.

'I went to meet her [Carey] backstage, and she was prone. It was a small theater, so there wasn't even a room, it was just a curtain, and she was prone because one of the sets had hit her in the top of the head halfway through the play. It was crazy, and I went back and was like, "Are you okay?" And she was not okay at all. And so we went to the emergency room. And we were there. And that was our introduction to each other,' Bradley Cooper shared the near tragedy behind his first meeting with Mulligan.

Carey Mulligan Carried On with the Play Despite Being Severely Hit on the Head

'It was the first preview and it's a ninety-minute monologue. And maybe half an hour before the end, I got hit on my head quite badly and I carried on because no one saw it. It was in a blackout,' Carey Mulligan explained what had happened to her. 'Then, it finished and I got off stage and I just burst, I couldn't stop crying, and I thought I was really a goner. You know, you get it in your head with a head injury, you're like, "Oh, that's it!"'

But as every cloud has a silver lining, the accident led to the actress meeting Bradley Cooper.

'I was sobbing on the floor and the director was trying to calm me down and then someone came in and said, "Sorry, so sorry! Bradley Cooper is just [waiting outside]." I was just [sobbing]. So he came in and looked me in the eye and was like, "You're not alright." And then we went to the [ER],' the actress revealed, demonstrating her sobbing. 'Got me a job, so it was worth it!'

Fortunately, the hit didn't have a serious effect on Mulligan's health, and she was able to deliver her brilliant performance as Felicia in Cooper's Maestro.

Source: YouTube.