Mulligan: 'Knightley taught me so much'

Carey Mulligan has claimed that Keira Knightley taught her about the acting profession.

The Oscar-nominated actress told Reveal that she had been impressed when she worked with Knightley on Pride and Prejudice.

"That was my real education of how things are done," she said. "I watched Keira, who is still only the same age as me, handle her starring role. She was down-to-earth, talked to everyone and set very high standards, not only with her acting but also her behaviour."

Mulligan continued: "I learnt that if you are playing the lead in a film there is a responsibility on the whole film and everyone employed on it. You can set the tone and the mood by your own behaviour."

She also admitted that she had felt privileged to work alongside Dame Judi Dench.

"There was also Judi Dench, such a heroine of mine, who still came to work as if it was her first film," Mulligan explained. "She was so excited and funny to be around. We are lucky in Britain that we have people like her, who have no time for egos or pretending to be the big star."