Carey Mulligan lands role of Daisy in Baz Luhrmann's 'Great Gatsby'

Monday wasn't a bad day in Carey Mulligan's world -- while walking the red carpet at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards, she got word that she had nabbed a lead role in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming adaptation of "The Great Gatsby."

The indie-film pixie burst into tears on the red carpet, according to Deadline, in front of Vogue Editor Anna Wintour and designer Karl Lagerfeld (Mulligan was wearing Chanel). 

"I was thrilled to pick up the phone an hour ago to the young Oscar-nominated British actress Carey Mulligan and say to her -- 'Hello, Daisy Buchanan,' " the "Moulin Rouge!" director said in an e-mail to Deadline.

Daisy is the doomed princess of the Long Island Sound in "Gatsby," for which Mulligan beat out serious rumored competition -- such as Blake Lively (who also attended the CFDA Awards -- awkward) and "The Town" star Rebecca Hall.

Leonardo DiCaprio is set to play lead Jay Gatsby, with Tobey Maguire lined up as Gatsby's confidant Nick Carraway. One prior adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's book was made by Jack Clayton in 1974. Mia Farrow originated the role that now belongs to Mulligan, while Robert Redford broke in DiCaprio's shoes.

What do you think of Mulligan as Daisy? Tell us in comments.

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-- Matt Donnelly
twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo: Carey Mulligan at the 7th CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards in New York City on Nov. 15, 2010. Credit: Ben Gabbe / Getty Images

Comments

[Spud]

Congrats to Director Luhrmann in acquiring the talents of the lovely Carey Mulligan to play Daisy. She will be terrific and it does not hurt to put DiCaprio and Toby McGuire on the same stage. I look forward to this American Classic finally getting a proper treatment.

[Patricia]

Baz Lurhman doing Great Gatsby? No way. What does he understand about Alcohol Prohibition? Gatsby was a bootlegger working for Arnold Rothstein. I don't see Baz Lurhman being able to tell this story, sorry.

I'd rather see this story told by the people who are bringing us "Boardwalk Empire," because they understand the era in which Gatsby takes place and they've already got Rothstein down pat.

Once you have Rothstein, you have Gatsby, because they were part of the same criminal gang of alcohol traffickers. Meyer Wolfsheim is Arnold Rothstein. Rothstein was the basis for that character.

[Dylan]

Just let it go. This is one of those classics which was simply meant to be read - film can never capture what makes the book so great. And of all the directors who'd have a decent stab of adapting it to the screen, Baz Luhrmann is certainly not one of them. He's going to ruin the subtlety of the story by making it bombastic and ridiculous. Another classic American work, story, or figure from history being butchered by Hollywood.