"Carey Mulligan views each year as an extraordinary gift, expressing her contentment upon reaching the age of 40."
Carey Mulligan, now 40, is reveling in her new age, gray hairs and wrinkles be damned. She recently spent an entire month partying, transforming her birthday into a week-long extravaganza.
When asked about transitioning out of her 30s, Carey, in an interview with Anita Rani on BBC Woman's Hour, asserted, "I feel great." Despite the 40s often bringing the struggles of dealing with perimenopause and feeling lonely for the first time, Carey plans to tackle this new era with a sunny disposition.
"We're conditioned to dread it, to feel down about it," she said. "But looking around at the struggles people face with health issues, it's clear that every year is just another extraordinary blessing."
Carey's newfound optimism emerged during what she calls the 'big one.' With the arrival of her 40th year, she decided to make her birthday month-long, sparing no opportunity to celebrate. She explained, "I figured, why limit yourself to just one day? It's more like a festival – my year of 40."
Her birthday on the 28th of May 2025 also happened to coincide with the premiere of her latest film project, The Ballad of Wallis Island, a delightful comedy about a reclusive lottery winner hosting his favorite musicians. This serendipitous timing allowed Carey to celebrate her big day right on set.
"It was awesome," Carey reminisced. "I spent the day with my family, then had a productive chat with the writers of The Ballad of Wallis Island about our film. We had our premiere, and then I unwound over dinner."
Carey began filming for the project mere ten weeks after giving birth to her third child in September 2023, bringing her new baby, believed to be a daughter, along to set so she could breastfeed. "It was extraordinary to be able to do that," Carey admitted, emphasizing that this level of flexibility isn't always offered to working mothers.
"It's not the norm at all. Female crew, actors, and their ability to participate in work are still severely limited by these expectations," she concluded.
Join Carey Mulligan and W&H editor Hannah Fernando for an exclusive afternoon of drinks and conversation on the 20th and 27th of June. Each ticket comes with an Ancient + Brave goody bag worth £100!
Carey Mulligan, in her interview, expressed her positive outlook towards entering her 40s, viewing it as another blessing in her life despite the challenges some people might face during this period. She celebrated her 40th birthday for an entire month, valuing every day as precious, likening it to a festival. When filming for her latest project, The Ballad of Wallis Island, Carey brought her newborn daughter along, highlighting the need for more flexibility and support for working mothers, especially women in the entertainment industry. Join Carey Mulligan and W&H editor Hannah Fernando for an exclusive event where you can drink, converse, and receive a £100 Ancient + Brave goody bag.
