In a January 2023 interview with Us Weekly, Mirren opened up about the backstory that she came up with for her "1923" character, Cara Dutton. Firstly, Mirren plays Cara as an Irish woman, which led to another key detail for the character: determining her religion.
Mirren explained, "I play her Irish, and because she's Irish I think she has faith. I think she's a Christian, a Catholic, and I think she has carried that faith with her." Despite making this decision, Mirren made another decision that Cara wouldn't advertise it in any way. The actress continued, "She doesn't advertise it, it's not a big thing, you know. I wanted to have a little crucifix up on the set but I said, 'it's got to be really small, so you notice it if you notice it, if you don't notice it, it's fine.' But it's just a little indication of where Cara's faith is, so I do think she's a woman of faith."
However, Mirren doesn't believe that Cara's faith defines her, which fans of the show would likely agree with — after all, Mirren showcases the character's depths. Mirren continued, "At the same time she's practical, she's down to earth and she's realistic."
