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KANSAN.COM
ARTS & CULTURE
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Carey Mulligan discusses her most recent film, "Suffragette," and support for women's rights
CAMERON MCGOUGH @cammcgough
CHRIS PIZZELLO/AP
In this Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015 photo, actress Carey Mulligan poses for a portrait at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. Mulligan stars as Maud Watts in the new film "Suffragette."
In her most recent project, "Suffragette," Academy-Award-nominated actress Carey Mulligan ("An Education") plays a working-class-woman turned-rebellious suffragette during a time when men called all the shots. Her previous work has been seen on films such as "Pride & Prejudice," "The Great Gatsby" and "Inside Llewyn Davis."
While promoting "Suffragette," Mulligan took the time to speak with college students from all over the country, including the University. Through her responses, Mulligan revealed her immense passion for the film, as well as her support for women's rights today.
"I think a lot of the issues in the film are hugely relevant now, and one of them is definitely the pay gap. In a lot of ways, there are lots of things that we haven't improved on, really, in 100 years, and that's definitely a big part of the conversation now, especially in my industry," Mulligan said. "And I think that's a great conversation to be having because it is unfair, and it has always been unfair."
She added: "We talk about it in the film industry because people look to the film industry and listen to a lot of things that actors and actresses say, and I think that we can use that to have a wider impact on society because it shouldn't be a self-serving conversation. It should be about, sort of, the wider society and how women are treated in the workplace and the pay gap in general."
The film is largely based on
the struggles women had in the early to mid-nineteenth century, namely the fight for women's suffrage. Written and directed by women, "Suffragette" is not helped by men as is the case for most films today. Mulligan said she feels that it would be impossible to imagine what the film would be like if directed by a man instead of a woman.
"I can't really say the experience would be one way or an
other because it was directed by a woman, but I do feel that as a kind of group of women, we felt very excited to be the ones who are finally going to get to tell this story because it is such a huge part of our history that has been so completely neglected," she said. "Honestly, I don't think it would have been made by a man. I think it was always going to take this group of really tenacious women to get it made. The experience is
so unique, and it shouldn't be a unique experience to work with a large group of women, but it was. [Director] Sarah [Gavron] just led it in the most brilliant, thoughtful way."
"Suffragette" tells a story that is a large part of history, yet it is ultimately left out of textbooks as an unrecognized time for women. Since the majority of these women's stories are left untold, Mulligan said she wanted to give them a proper
voice and display them as nobly as they truly were.
"I think [the film] is sort of a salute to them and a tribute to them. And obviously we want their story to be told because it is something that's been written out of our history books in England," she said. "I think we wanted to show their courage and their conviction. You know, this is largely women who had everything to lose. And I think there was a huge
amount of sacrifice made.
"At that time to make the choice to be a suffragette was incredibly dangerous and risky and could ruin you. They stood behind it and endured everything you see in the film and more because they felt so strongly that they needed to do this not really for themselves, but for their future, for the future generations."
— Edited by Rebecca Dowd
Ever wonder about some of Kansas' craziest and weirdest laws? Here are 11:
MYSHA PHELPS @KansanNews
If you think you're the perfect law-abiding citizen, you could unknowingly be wrong. Here are 11 of the craziest laws in Kansas, according to "Only in your state" and U.S. Dumb Laws.
In Topeka, it's against the law to scream in a haunted house.
Also in Topeka, it is against the law to sing in the streets at night. If you wanted to whistle a tune, you can technically be arrested for causing a disturbance.
Right here in Lawrence, it is illegal to wear a bee in your hat.
It is illegal to hit a vending machine that stole your money in Derby. It's an understandable urge, but it's not worth going to jail for.
In many cities in Kansas, it is expressly illegal to spit on a sidewalk.
For those cat lovers living in Wellington, you're technically not allowed to have more than four cats in your household.
In Russell, musical car horns are banned.
Snowball fights are illegal in Topeka.
Upon entering the city limits of Lawrence, you must sound your car horn to warn the horses of your arrival.
In Derby, people are not allowed to "screech" their car tires while driving.
In Natoma, the practice of throwing knives at men in striped suits is prohibited.
THE DOLE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
DOLE STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD PRESENTS:
ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101
Wednesday, Nov. 18 - 7:30 p.m.
with Matthew Marcus, KC Startup Village
Ryan Weber, KCNext
and Kelly Pruneau, Women's Capital Connection
Experts from the Kansas City entrepreneurial community and thriving Startup Village will discuss how to achieve entrepreneurial success,from getting funding to governmental support to collaborative environments and more
support to collaborative environments and more. Co-sponsored by the KU Entrepreneurship Club and the KU Economics Club
DISCUSSION GROUPS: FIRST IN THEIR CLASS
Tuesday, Nov. 17 - Noon with Judy Lloyd, Dole Fellow and Donna Lucas, former Chief of Staff to CA First Lady Maria Shriver
This series on unique women leaders wraps up with 30-year political veteran Donna Lucas. Lucas' career has included time as the deputy chief of staff for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and chief of staff to First Lady Maria Shriver.
All events free,open to the public and held at the Dole Institute.
ROBERT J. DOLE
INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
The University of Kansas
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