As we previously reported, James Pondsolt’s Hilary Clinton biopic Rodham, which recounts the former First Lady and Presidential candidate’s work on the Watergate investigation in the mid-1970s, appears to be hot property for the cream of Hollywood’s crop of young actresses. Established stars such as Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, and Jessica Chastain have all been rumored to be in contention to play Mrs. Clinton.  It seems that none of them will play the polarizing politician, however, as Carey Mulligan, who most recently played Daisy in The Great Gatsby, has emerged as the front-runner for the role, according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter. THR cautions that nothing is yet final, but both Mulligan and Pondsolt, who will have a sit-down to discuss the role, are anxious to formalize the young actress’s involvement.

Mulligan has rapidly inserted herself among the Hollywood’s foremost actresses in recent years, starting with her Oscar-nominated performance in 2009’s An Education. Since then she’s played major roles in Drive and Gatsby, and will also appear in the Coen Brothers’ new film, Inside Llewyn Davis. Still, to beat out established actresses such as Witherspoon and Johansson, not to mention Chastain, whose momentum on the heels of Zero Dark Thirty is not to be taken lightly, has to be considered something of a coup for Mulligan.

On a more amusing front, now seems likely that the United States’ foremost female politician will be played by…a British actress.