Carey Mulligan is altering her perspective.

      "Everything is going to be fine," Carey Mulligan softly reassures from her London apartment, her voice slightly roughened from a lingering winter illness. Her blonde bob, now resting just above her shoulders, is casually swept to the side. She's not preparing me for a tedious root canal or any kind of mundane ordeal but rather for a fulfilling life with my partner, whom I married exactly five months ago. This sentiment is quite different from the typical squeals one might anticipate when sharing news of a new marriage, but the comfort she offers perfectly captures the dry, evocative tone that only Mulligan and her wide-eyed expression can express. After all, we’ve just spent the past 40 minutes discussing season 2 of "Beef," an eight-episode dark comedy-drama that exposes a relationship that is decidedly not fine. Themes of resentment, blackmail, and a crippling realization of 'How did I end up here?'—spooky subjects for a newlywed.

      In Lee Sung Jin's (also known as Sonny Lee) latest episode scheduled to premiere on Netflix on April 16, Mulligan portrays Lindsay Crane-Martín, a hopeful interior designer married to the general manager of an upscale country club. Always the adoring spouse—at least publicly—she assists her husband Josh (Oscar Isaac) with various tasks, from organizing fundraisers to selecting fabric for pillows. However, beyond that, Lindsay's sense of self remains ambiguous. "I faced this question repeatedly with Sonny and Oscar when beginning this role. Who is she? I had trouble defining her because she morphs to fit multiple scenarios," Mulligan shares. "Ultimately, the answer is that she doesn't really know." It's a daunting realization to confront, especially for someone who has tied her entire identity to a marriage that ultimately falls apart. Thus, the titular beef arises.

      In the initial five minutes of the first episode, what begins with simmering marital tension culminates in a violent outburst and a shocked admission from Mulligan: "You've wasted my whole life." (Lee wrote this line on the day of filming, she reveals.) The panic over time slipping away is something she understands, albeit in a much less dramatic context. Mulligan recounts an incident when one of her children was learning to play the recorder; in a moment of frustration, she hid the instrument on top of a dresser, where it remained forgotten for two years. "I thought, 'Goodness, I could have gone another 15 years without realizing that was up there if I hadn't chosen to dust the top of my dresser,'" she says. It's unsettling how time can slip by unnoticed. "I think that’s where Lindsay is in episode 1," Mulligan continues. "[It's] that realization of 'Crap, time has gone by. What can I do? How do I reclaim it?' This drives her into a frantic surge of activity in several directions." This initial burst finds an audience in the recently engaged Austin Davis (Charles Melton) and Ashley Miller (Cailee Spaeny), who exploit this knowledge to advance their lower-tier roles at the club, deepening the conflict.

      Fans of the miniseries will be pleased to hear that the next installment is just as artistically chaotic as its Emmy-winning first season, featuring lavish visuals, awkward plot twists, and manipulative characters reminiscent of "The White Lotus"—those whom you love to despise yet somehow root for. Yes, this even includes the intolerable Lindsay. "Oh, she's really unpleasant and annoying," Mulligan admits regarding her initial thoughts on the script. "I love the idea of embodying that." It must be quite thrilling to step into the shoes of your complete opposite. Mulligan, dressed in a simple black sweater and sipping from an oversized cup when she joins our Zoom call, exudes a relaxed, unpretentious vibe that contrasts sharply with Lindsay's chaotic breakdowns. Her delicate features—a heart-shaped face and those wide eyes—are complemented by a deeper English accent, slightly husky from her cold. "I'm fine," she assures me. "I've got my giant mug of tea." With a smile, her dimples emerge, ready for the discussion.

      This isn’t Mulligan’s first portrayal of an unlikable woman, but something about Lindsay felt unique—frenzied, liberated, and simply enjoyable. "I wasn't quite sure about my next work direction. I had just finished the run of 'Maestro' and was waiting for the right opportunity to surface," she tells me. She has played the flirtatious romantic lead in "The Great Gatsby," the grief-stricken, revenge-seeking survivor in "Promising Young Woman," a role that garnered her an Oscar nomination. She exhibited the troubled, free-spirited sister in "Shame," the determined journalist in "She Said," and the tragically self-absorbed socialite in "Saltburn." "I don't want to be the overly serious