LONDON – Carey Mulligan helps unearth a trove of ancient treasures in The Dig, but one excavation stunt terrified the English actress during filming – ensuring English co-star Ralph Fiennes did not suffocate while buried in mud.

Based on the book by John Preston, the Netflix film which premieres on Jan 29 recounts the 1939 Sutton Hoo archaeological discovery, described by Britain’s National Trust as a find that “would revolutionise our understanding of early England”.