Carey Mulligan Recalls Failed Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Audition: ‘I Definitely Wore a Nose Ring’

Carey Mulligan shared details about her shot at getting the lead role in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in a recent interview. The 38-year-old Oscar nominee talked about her audition for the 2011 thriller with Michael Fassbender. Turns out, she was all in, going the extra mile by tweaking her look to match the movie’s vibe. In her quest to become Lisbeth Salander, she even considered going full-on with black hair.

Carey Mulligan Is a Dedicated Actor

Carey Mulligan wanted to look just like the character, so she wore a nose ring. She was committed and even had her friend, who’s a makeup artist, give her a punk-style makeover, to which Fassbender commented that it was like a punk sort of look.

Mulligan was committed. She shared that she even went the extra mile, chain-smoking during the audition to amp up the drama. But, despite going all out, she didn’t land the gig. In the end, Rooney Mara snagged the role of Lisbeth Salander and even scored an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 2012.

Mulligan Couldn’t Land the Gig

Carey Mulligan spilled the beans about her auditions in 2012. She tried out three times, and two of them were with the big shot director David Fincher. The first time around, she didn’t think she was on his radar. Mulligan digs Fincher’s style, saying he’s super clear about what he wants from actors. Even though she was a bit scared, she liked that he didn’t beat around the bush. Mulligan said that she’s into people who just say what they mean.

So, why was she so determined to get the role? Well, she felt stuck playing young-looking characters and wanted a change. But, you know what they say – no pain, no gain. Mulligan gave it her all, but Fincher, being the straight shooter he is, was very specific, direct, and short with her. She even cracked a joke about his reputation for doing tons of takes, thinking his brevity with her meant she probably wasn’t getting the gig.