Actress Carey Mulligan's culinary skills have improved dramatically since she joined the cast of West End play Skylight as she is required to cook on stage.

The Great Gatsby actress stars alongside Bill Nighy and Matthew Beard in the revival of David Hare's 1995 play at London's Wyndham Theatre.

Mulligan plays a school teacher in the production and her role requires her to cook a meal live on stage as she discusses her relationship with a former lover.

Director Stephen Daldry wasted no time in throwing Mulligan into preparation for her character and the British star's family are thrilled she is now able to make an edible meal.

She tells Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, "It's so hard! What's really good is that Stephen's so no-nonsense, so I've been cooking since the second day of rehearsals. We started acting the play out in the afternoon of the first day. With most rehearsal periods, you spend the first week sitting around talking about your feelings. We just got into it, just started chopping onions. I can actually cook one meal now, as opposed to before, when I could cook nothing. My family are very excited."