Carey Mulligan is ELLE's November Cover Star

The Suffragette star talks motherhood, Marcus Mumford, and why she would never take on a role weaker than a man's in ELLE's November issue.

In ELLE UK’s annual feminism issue, actress Carey Mulligan opens up exclusively about her career-defining role in Suffragette and reflects on the need for more women’s voices to be heard, both in Hollywood and beyond.

Mulligan discusses the pay gap, the respect women receive in the film industry, and explains why she would never take on a role any less strong or well-rounded than a leading man’s. ‘You don’t say to men: “You played another really strong man.”,’ she adds. ‘The idea that women are inherently weak – and we’ve identified the few strong ones to tell stories about – is mad.’

In Suffragette, out this month, Mulligan plays Maud – a laundry worker turned foot soldier for feminist leader Emmeline Pankhurst, played by Meryl Streep. When asked if she would be a suffragette, she admits, ‘You’d like to think that you would [but] you’re a product of your time. I can express my opinion, but I’ve never had to fight, to stand up for anything. And the notion of walking into a gallery with a knife and destroying a piece of art, that seems unbelievably terrifying to me. And that’s just one, tame example of what they did.’

The notoriously private star also gives us a rare glimpse of her home life with husband Marcus Mumford. She speaks about her experience with motherhood, saying, ‘I’ve always wanted to be a mother. I love what I do, but I’m excited for this next phase of my life.’

The interview spearheads ELLE’s #MoreWomen campaign, which focuses on the power of the collective female voice and celebrates the women in our life who make us stronger. In a global campaign, ELLE has asked celebrities, influencers and you our readers to upload a photograph of themselves with the most influential women in their life on 1 October with the campaign slogan #MoreWomen.

Mulligan adds, ‘Someone asked me yesterday, “Do you think it would be a better world if it were run by women?” And the answer is no, I think it would be a better world if it were run equally – we’re still so far from that.’