The no-nonsense star of The Girl on the Train holds nothing back as she talks about acting, motherhood and being a woman in Hollywood
The no-nonsense star of The Girl on the Train holds nothing back as she talks about acting, motherhood and being a woman in Hollywood
No one makes being carefree look as easy as emily blunt. She’s the polar opposite of her legendary uptight and snobby Devil Wears Prada character emily Charlton in 2006, a role that instantly boosted the brit actress’s profile in Hollywood. not only does she laugh at every opportunity, she has a way of winking and smiling at you in person that is as disarming as it is charming.
It is this very quality that cements the 33-year-old’s position as a talented and versatile performer. With acclaimed work in films like Edge of Tomorrow starring opposite Tom Cruise, and Sicario that saw her earn an oscar nomination, you would expect her to have a shelf-full of acting awards by now. Why that isn’t the case remains a mystery, but emily’s new film, The Girl on the Train, may well correct that oversight. based on Paula Hawkins’ best-selling book of the same name, the thriller will see emily helm the role of a depressed alcoholic who spends her morning commute fantasising about the life of a couple she observes through her train window. Justin Theroux co-stars as her ex-husband, while the couple is played by Luke evans and Haley bennett.
Girl Power
never one to settle for anything less than outstanding, emily is extremely picky about her film choices, saying that if she is going to tear herself away from the home and hearth, it has to express new aspects of herself. “I’ve been avoiding films where women are simply there to support the male character and don’t really move the story forward,” she explains. “I think we need more stories that present women as serious, complicated characters who can be both determined and vulnerable.”
Lamenting current trends that favour superhero blockbusters geared towards teenage boys, emily hopes the tide will turn in Hollywood. “Audiences want to see stories that depict our real lives and the kinds of relationships between men and women that we have all lived through and observed. That’s the direction where we need to go.”
In spite of her views, emily never lets it bring her down. “Film is a very volatile business where you’re up one day and down the next. I never want to allow my happiness to be determined by how well my career is doing. If you allow that to happen then you’re lost.”
Made For Motherhood
Interestingly, emily was in the middle of shooting The Girl on the Train when she discovered she was pregnant with baby number two. “It was actually more physical than I realised, which worried me a little, but I wasn’t telling anyone until a little later on,” she says. “I told a couple of people like Justin (Theroux) pretty early because we were doing some of the physical stuff together.” between a successful career and her duties as mother to two-year-old Hazel and baby violet with actor-husband John Krasinski, emily can’t help but feel blessed for all that she has. It is despite her fame and fortune that emily finds time to channel her maternal instincts. “What I’ve observed is that having a child makes you more emotionally aware and intense,” she shares, “and that enlightens you both in person and as a performer.”
The english rose takes great pride in motherhood and says much of what she does as a parent is really about imparting lifelong lessons on her precious children. “As a mother, you become a teacher from the moment your child is born. Having a child changes every cell in your body and it’s a great responsibility,” she says.
Staying Grounded
A lesser woman would have crumbled under the pressure that women face in the quest to balance fame and family, but not emily. The road to her current state of mind wasn’t always smooth; emily’s admitted that she used to suffer from extreme anxiety in the past.
“I’m much more relaxed now and I don’t obsess over things as much as I used to. I used to worry a lot about missing out on things or worrying that life was passing me by but I feel much more secure and happier in general.” maybe her husband John has had something to do with that or perhaps after spending so much time on red carpets, she’s finally comfortable with fame. “It’s only when I’m at an event or a film premiere that I feel like a celebrity but it’s only a fleeting moment. It’s all very surreal… the next morning reality sets in and I’m back to being myself!”
