THE British actress Carey Mulligan missed out on winning an Oscar for her role in An Education, which is based on Highgate journalist Lynn Barber s memoirs. Ms Mulligan was nominated for the award for her performance as the young Ms Barber, who is renamed

THE British actress Carey Mulligan missed out on winning an Oscar for her role in An Education, which is based on Highgate journalist Lynn Barber's memoirs.

Ms Mulligan was nominated for the award for her performance as the young Ms Barber, who is renamed Jenny in the film. The film is based on Ms Barber's memoirs of being seduced by a much older conman when she was schoolgirl in the 1960s.

Ms Mulligan, 24, has enjoyed a meteoric rise to Hollywood from her days as an aspiring actress. Between 2007 and 2008 she was living in the Highgate area and working as a barmaid at the The Flask pub.

She won a Bafta earlier this month for her role in An Education and was nominated for an Oscar for best actress. But the British newcomer lost out at the awards ceremony last night to Sandra Bullock, for her performance in The Blind Side.

The north London writer Nick Hornby will also return home empty-handed after failing to win an Oscar for his adaptation of An Education.

British hopeful Colin Firth also lost out to Jeff Bridges who snatched an Oscar for best actor in the film Crazy Heart. Firth was nominated for his role in A Single Man.