Carey Mulligan relied on Colin Firth during 2010 awards season

Carey Mulligan clung to fellow Brit Colin Firth throughout awards season in 2010, because she felt completely out of her depth surrounded by famous movie stars.

Carey Mulligan admits she was stunned to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her turn in arthouse picture An Education, because she expected it to be released in just a handful of British cinemas.

The star admits she relied on Colin Firth - who was also nominated for many top awards for his role in A Single Man - to protect her during Hollywood's busiest period.

She tells Britain's The Guardian, "I was like a rabbit in the headlights, and went through the whole awards season hiding behind Colin Firth and I'd be like, 'I don't want to meet anyone famous. You don't have to.' Him and his wife looked after me."

Carey Mulligan also reveals she would purposefully come across as rude so no one would want to approach her.

She adds, "We went to a party once, full of industry people, and went into the corner and were basically the only two British people there. We created a circle of hostility, so no one would try and talk to us, and we didn't have to talk to anyone. There were five of us, all cowering, and we drank our wine, and would occasionally stare out intimidatingly, to keep people away.

"Not because people were clawing to talk to me although they were probably clawing to talk to Colin - but it's very strange. I felt like the person who had accidentally been invited to the party."