Oscar-nominated British actress Carey Mulligan has made a career out of playing young and headstrong women, from Kitty Bennet in Pride & Prejudice, to her award-winning role as Jenny Mellor in An Education. Carey now stars as Bathsheba Everdene, the independent heroine of Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd.
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In this exclusive clip for HELLO! Online, Bathsheba is gifted a lamb by Gabriel Oak, played by Matthias Schoenaerts, a shepherd who wishes to declare his love for Bathsheba.
"There are things to consider!" Bathsheba cries out, as Gabriel's question is rebuked. "Does that mean there is someone waiting for you?" he asks in return.
"No, but that doesn't mean I will marry you", replies Bathsheba, unconventional for the time.
Bathsheba begins life with no fortune but soon meets three different men and, through the years with them, learns about the value of life and love.
Michael Sheen plays William Boldwood, an older and prosperous farmer, while Tony-nominated actor Tom Sturridge stars as Sergeant Francis "Frank" Troy, a handsome young soldier.
Carey Mulligan (Bathsheba) and Tom Sturridge (Troy)
Far From The Madding Crowd was Thomas Hardy's fourth novel, and his first major success. There have been various adaptations over the years, but the latest is directed by Danish director, the BAFTA-nominated Thomas Vinterberg.
This also won't be the first period drama for the films two leads, Carey and Matthias, to be released this year.
Matthias stars alongside Kate Winslet in A Little Chaos, which sees Kate as Madame Sabine De Barra, a little known 18th century architect who finds that her gender also holds her back from success.
A fan of modern styles and techniques, Sabine soon finds herself hired by the famous architect Le Nôtre (played by Matthias), to help create of Rockwork Grove, one small part of what was to become Louis XIV’s magnificent Palace of Versailles.
Carey meanwhile will star alongside Meryl Streep and Helena Bonham Carter in Suffragette, the true story of activist women, who in the late 19th century and early 20th century, fought for early women's rights.
Far From The Madding Crowd is out on 1 May 2015.