{"id":320910,"date":"2026-04-19T00:31:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T19:01:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=320910"},"modified":"2026-04-19T00:31:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T19:01:59","slug":"beef-carey-mulligan-and-oscar-isaac-on-what-drew-them-to-their-characters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/19\/beef-carey-mulligan-and-oscar-isaac-on-what-drew-them-to-their-characters\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Beef&#8217; Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac on What Drew Them to Their Characters"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>SPOILER ALERT:\u00a0<\/strong><em>The next story comprises plot details from Season 2 of \u201c<\/em><em>Beef<\/em><em>,\u201d now streaming on Netflix<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tNetflix\u2019s \u201cBeef\u201d is back for a second season, and the anthology series is wild, revolving around two couples, Josh (Oscar Isaac) and Lindsay (Carey Mulligan) and Austin (Charles Melton) and Ashley (Cailee Spaeny). One of the intense scenes is available in Episode 5 when Lindsay\u2019s beloved dog, Burberry, has gone missing after Ashley snuck into their house and by accident left the back door open. After hours of searching, Lindsay comes upon a coyote attacking Burberry and, and not using a second thought, kills the coyote along with her bare hands.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cThat was mainly what made me need to do it,\u201d Mulligan says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tCreator Lee Sung Jin had not yet fleshed out all eight episodes of \u201cBeef\u201d when Mulligan sat down with him over Zoom, but there was one thing he knew for certain. Mulligan says, \u201cHe was like, \u2018but I do know exactly what happens in Episode 5.\u2019 He pitched the entire episode around losing the dog and ending with that coyote.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cShooting it was form of crazy,\u201d she adds. \u201cBut I used to be very motivated by the thought of that scene.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThis season of \u201cBeef\u201d takes place at an upscale Montecito country club. Isaac plays the club\u2019s general manager, and Lindsay, is an interior decorator there. Gen Z couple Ashley and Austin work on the club, but are on the lower end of the pay scale.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe \u201cBeef\u201d kicks off when Austin and Ashley witness Josh and Lindsay in a heated, violent argument, and capture it on video, suddenly finding themselves with some leverage to blackmail the older couple. Things quickly spiral into an online of lies, power dynamics and desperation. The conflict between Josh and Lindsay escalates, and the coyote scene marks a turning point for Lindsay and her marriage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cIn that whole time, she had never really found out anything that she cared about or was particularly good at,\u201d Mulligan says of Lindsay. \u201cI believe that was a giant a part of what I discovered interesting about her \u2014 that with all she had built her life on with this marriage, she didn\u2019t really have an identity that she could hold on to.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  size-large alignnone \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure  lrv-u-font-family-secondary u-color-medium-grey lrv-u-border-b-1 u-border-color-light-grey-tint-two u-margin-b-150 lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:1024px\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \"><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-flex-direction-column lrv-u-padding-t-1 lrv-u-padding-b-1\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"u-color-medium-grey u-font-family-neue-xxs\">Courtesy of Netflix<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tKilling the coyote could be an unhinged moment, but Mulligan says: \u201cIt\u2019s the conclusion that the wedding is totally over, and that the one thing on the planet that she feels has reciprocal love and understanding for her is that this dog. So killing that coyote in defense of the dog is that this enormous act of affection, but additionally realizing that you just only have that an animal \u2014 that you just don\u2019t have with people in your life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tIn the subsequent episode, Lindsay has modified. \u201cShe cares less about what people think,\u201d Mulligan says. \u201cMuch of the primary half of the show, she\u2019s being so consumed by how she\u2019s perceived. After she kills the coyote, she\u2019s like, \u2018Fuck it. I\u2019ve just got to win someway. I\u2019ve got to search out my path to survival. So I believed it was quite liberating thing for her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tBefore shooting, Isaac sat down with Lee to work out who Josh is, and where he&#8217;s in his profession and marriage. \u201cWe began constructing the character together based on an initial idea of circumstances that happened within the show, and that was it was an incredible thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe exploration process with Lee was helpful to each Mulligan and Isaac in understanding their respective backstories and understanding who their characters were and what drove them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tWhen it got here to Josh, who appears to be bad with money and eager to hold on to his youth. Isaac says: \u201cHe got this vibe. I\u2019m the young, cool, hip guy \u2014 every part\u2019s wonderful. After which what he does at home, and the strain between those things was really fun to explore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tJosh\u2019s attempts to attain that young vibe is reflected at home. He\u2019s got a mancave stuffed with memorabilia, and even owns a Moog synth that when belonged to his favorite band, Hot Chip. In Episode 2, he plays it \u2014 and he\u2019s not great at it. Just a few episodes later, he\u2019s up on stage, jamming with the band.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-content-image \/\/  size-large alignnone \">\n<figure class=\"o-figure  lrv-u-font-family-secondary u-color-medium-grey lrv-u-border-b-1 u-border-color-light-grey-tint-two u-margin-b-150 lrv-u-max-width-100p\" style=\"width:1024px\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  \">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-variety-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Beef-OscarIsaac.1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Beef-OscarIsaac.1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Beef-OscarIsaac.1.jpg?resize=150,75 150w, https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Beef-OscarIsaac.1.jpg?resize=300,150 300w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 250px\" height=\"512\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\"><\/p><\/div><figcaption class=\"c-figcaption  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-flex-direction-column lrv-u-padding-t-1 lrv-u-padding-b-1\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<cite class=\"u-color-medium-grey u-font-family-neue-xxs\">Courtesy of Netflix<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tWho Josh desires to be can also be reflected in his hair \u2014\u00a0yes, that\u2019s a mini-mullet he\u2019s rocking. Issac worked along with his hair stylist Tim Nolan who suggested that style. \u201cIt\u2019s an ideal thing that again, speaks to any person that\u2019s attempting to hold on to a specific image of youth,\u201d Isaac says. \u201cAnd one which shows a way of leisure and of energy \u2014 despite the fact that he\u2019s just being strangled your complete time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tJosh starts stealing money from the club with a purpose to maintain his lifestyle, and hold onto his image. \u201cHe cares more about identity and he wants enough money,\u201d Isaac says. \u201cHe\u2019s never going to give you the chance to be a member of this club, but that is the closest he can get to it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tJosh, who\u2019s surrounded by extreme wealth, feels a way of entitlement \u2014\u00a0and he\u2019s also been stealing money from his late mother\u2019s checking account, \u201cSo he&#8217;s already smudging the road there out of desperation,\u201d Isaac says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cHe feels he has the best to, like all of the wealthy people, to get his own,\u201d Isaac says. \u201cWhatever meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SPOILER ALERT:\u00a0The next story comprises plot details from Season 2 of \u201cBeef,\u201d now streaming on Netflix Netflix\u2019s \u201cBeef\u201d is back for a second season, and the anthology series is wild, revolving around two couples, Josh (Oscar Isaac) and Lindsay (Carey Mulligan) and Austin (Charles Melton) and Ashley (Cailee Spaeny). One of the intense scenes is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":320911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20669],"tags":[11190,744,1908,4663,9886,23682,10033],"class_list":["post-320910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hollywood","tag-beef","tag-carey","tag-characters","tag-drew","tag-isaac","tag-mulligan","tag-oscar"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320910"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320910\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":320913,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320910\/revisions\/320913"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/320911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=320910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}