Why Do People Love Emily Blunt?
Emily Blunt has captivated audiences with her transformative and emotionally compelling performances across a range of genres. From making us laugh in comedies to keeping us on the edge of our seats in thrillers, Blunt throws herself fully into every role. So what is it exactly that makes her such a beloved and magnetic on-screen presence?
What Films Has Emily Blunt Starred In?
Emily Blunt has shown incredible range as an actress, starring in blockbuster hits as well as critically acclaimed indie films. Some of her most popular and decorated films include:
- Mary Poppins Returns (2018) – Blunt took on the iconic role of Mary Poppins in this musical sequel film, for which she received a SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.
- A Quiet Place (2018) – This smash hit horror/thriller from Blunt’s husband John Krasinski featured her as a mother trying to protect her family from sound-sensitive monsters. She earned Screen Actors Guild and Critics Choice nominations for her emotional performance.
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006) – This was Blunt’s breakout Hollywood role playing Emily, the senior assistant to Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly. Despite limited screen time, Blunt stole many scenes.
- Into the Woods (2014) – In this musical fantasy, Blunt played the Baker’s Wife opposite James Corden and Meryl Streep. She earned numerous award nominations for her singing.
- The Young Victoria (2009) – Blunt gave an acclaimed performance as Queen Victoria in this historical drama about the early years of the famous British monarch’s rule.
What Was Emily Blunt’s Breakthrough Role?
| Film | The Devil Wears Prada |
| Release Year | 2006 |
| Character | Emily Charlton |
Despite having a supporting role and limited screen time, Blunt’s hilarious and scene-stealing performance as senior assistant Emily in The Devil Wears Prada proved to be her breakthrough in Hollywood.
Though the film centered around Anne Hathaway’s character, Blunt managed to stand out thanks to her energy, comedic timing, and total commitment to the role. Many critics singled out her performance as a highlight of the movie. After The Devil Wears Prada catapulted her onto the radar, Blunt began getting offers as the lead actress in numerous high-profile films.
What Makes Emily Blunt Such a Versatile Actress?
Part of the reason people love Emily Blunt so much is that she consistently transforms into vastly different characters across a variety of genres. Unlike some actors who get typecast into similar roles, Blunt has proven herself to be remarkably versatile. So what accounts for her ability to bounce between emotionally heavy dramas, funny comedies, and action-packed thrillers?
She Fully Immerses Herself Into Every Part
The key to Blunt’s versatility seems to be her willingness to completely immerse herself into whatever world her character inhabits. To play an iconic role like Mary Poppins, she reportedly stayed in character on set throughout filming.
For tense films like A Quiet Place, she had to embody fear and anxiety for long stretches of time. While preparation processes may vary by role, Blunt clearly commits 100% every time.
She Isn’t Afraid of Bold Choices
Blunt seems to gravitate toward roles that require making bold, expressive choices on-screen. Whether it’s belting high notes in Into the Woods, wielding dangerous weapons in action movies, or contorting her face to get laughs as a disgruntled assistant in The Devil Wears Prada, she makes intriguing physical and emotional choices. This adds layers and surprises that make her characters feel real.
She Finds Relatable Interior Lives
Even if the circumstances around Blunt’s characters aren’t always relatable, she works hard to bring emotional truth to every role. Her characters reveal their hopes, dreams, flaws, and struggles that make them compelling, multi-faceted people first.
This interior emotional life grounds them in a recognizable shared reality, connecting them to the audience. We see parts of ourselves reflected on-screen through Emily Blunt’s thoughtful performances.
How Does Emily Blunt Immerse Herself in Her Roles?
Blunt is renowned in the entertainment industry for the extent she goes to fully inhabit each one of her varied roles. Let’s explore some examples of how she physically, emotionally and mentally prepares for total transformation:
Physical Preparation
When Blunt took on the iconic character of Mary Poppins for the sequel Mary Poppins Returns, she understood that a big part of the magic was the character’s unique physicality and carriage.
She hired a movement coach to teach her Poppins’ posture, gait, small mannerisms, and even facial expressions. Blunt also learned signing, speaking with an appropriate accent, and traditional dance.
For action movies like Edge of Tomorrow, she worked for months to build substantial muscle and athletic skills needed for her combat-ready character. This physical preparation helps her fully look and feel the part once cameras roll.
Emotional Preparation
In interviews, Blunt has spoken extensively about mining her own memories, thoughts and feelings to channel the interior world of her characters. For example, to play a desperate mother trying to silently protect her children in A Quiet Place, Blunt drew on her own maternal instincts and fears.
She says she creates an extensive backstory for each character detailing formative life experiences that would have shaped who they have become. This emotional preparation leads to more authentic performances.
Maintaining Character OnsSet
According to co-stars and directors, Blunt sometimes chooses to remain in character even when the cameras aren’t rolling on set. Not only does this help her sustain the appropriate mindset, but it allows co-stars to interact with her as the character.
For the musical Into the Woods, Blunt continued using a singing voice and wore a corset between takes. Small on-set choices like these reinforce total transformation for emotionally immersive performances.
Why Do Critics Love Emily Blunt’s Performances?
Throughout her career, Emily Blunt has earned rave reviews and award nominations from the top critics groups thanks in large part to her moving and masterful acting. Here are some of the qualities that critics praise most frequently about her work:
Nuanced Emotional Range
In nearly every review written about Blunt’s performances, critics emphasize her ability to exhibit an incredible range of emotions that feel extremely authentic. In a single scene she can convey joy, sadness, anger, disgust, fear, surprise, and more with subtle facial expressions. At her best, she taps seeming effortlessly into whatever the character is feeling inside.
As Peter Debruge wrote in his review of The Girl on the Train for Variety: “Emily Blunt is the whole show here. The actress is in virtually every scene, propelling us through the picture, but more than that, she’s the emotional anchor.”
Unexpected Layered Choices
Rather than playing characters in predictable or surface-level ways, Blunt keeps audiences engaged by keeping them guessing. Even in smaller supporting turns like The Devil Wears Prada, she surprises viewers scene by scene with unexpected choices that reveal layered personalities.
As Anthony Lane wrote in his New Yorker review: “All the details are right, and Blunt adds a final bonus. Hidden away, for now, behind her nodding dog’s obedience, she plants the seeds of future revolt.”
Total Immersive Commitment
When critics discuss Blunt’s most iconic roles, the phrase “total commitment” comes up over and over again. She never gives the impression of casually coasting through roles for a paycheck. Instead, whether depicting characters in extreme situations (A Quiet Place) or singing and dancing in musicals (Mary Poppins Returns), Blunt transports herself body and soul. It’s clear she truly cares about authenticity to the part.
Peter Travers summed it up well in his Rolling Stone review: “Emily Blunt fills the bill both ways by putting on her acting-chops dancing shoes and dazzling us as incandescent as Mary Poppins herself.”
Why Has Emily Blunt Resisted Taking Stereotypical Female Roles?
Throughout her career, Emily Blunt has made intentional choices not to take roles that depict female characters as stereotypical or one-dimensional. In interviews, she’s revealed this is actually a major priority in her selection process when considering potential projects. So why has she been so adamant about avoiding such films?
Conclusion
When exploring all the qualities that make Emily Blunt so beloved – her versatility, commitment, authenticity, and tendency to subvert stereotypes – it all points to one thing. She cares deeply about every film being more than just a job.
We sense that she respects the audiences who connect deeply with her work. That blend of immense talent combined with a passion for storytelling suggests we will keep falling in love with Blunt’s performances for decades to come.
While her incredible range means she can literally transform into anyone, she still brings parts of her own voice even when hiding behind wildly different characters. There is a warmth and wit that shines through – we’d likely be just as entertained watching a talk show with Blunt riffing as herself. However as long as she keeps digging so deep into layered roles across an array of thoughtful films, we count ourselves the luckiest of audiences.
Here’s hoping the future brings even more chances for us to laugh, cry and discover ourselves through Blunt’s talents. With so much yet unexplored in such a relatively young career still on the rise, it seems inevitable that her very best work may be yet to come. Wherever her acting gifts take us next, we’ll eagerly follow along feeling grateful.
FAQs About Why People Love Emily Blunt
Why do people feel emotionally connected to Emily Blunt’s performances?
Even when playing larger-than-life characters, Blunt brings an emotional authenticity and relatable humanity that allows her fans to see parts of themselves reflected on screen. Her willingness to tap into universal hopes, flaws, and vulnerabilities in every role makes her very resonant.
What makes Blunt so good at both comedies and dramas?
Rather than get typecast into just serious dramas or lightweight comedies, Blunt’s combination of immense emotional range, willingness for bold choices, and subtle comedic instincts equip her for excellence across genres.
Why doesn’t Emily Blunt seem to age much on screen?
Beyond just good genes, Blunt possesses an natural expressiveness, charm, and charisma that lend themselves to playing a range of ages convincingly. Combined with transformative hair/makeup and her physical commitment, she can authentically portray characters decade apart in age.
Why is Emily Blunt considered such a versatile actress?
Unlike many actors afraid to leave their comfort zones, Blunt clearly relishes in fully transforming herself both physically and emotionally to match vastly different roles. By digging deep into characters’ backgrounds as well as their physical carriage, she disappears into every part she plays.
What acting skills come most naturally to Emily Blunt?
While clearly skilled in all areas, critics most frequently praise Blunt’s nuanced emotional range, layered and unexpected performance choices, highly expressive physicality, innate timing and wit, and totally immersive commitment to every film project regardless of genre.
