Emily Blunt Teases Her MARY POPPINS May Be 'A Little Meaner'

In a new interview with EW, Emily Blunt discusses her latest challenge of stepping into the iconic shoes of Julie Andrews for Disney's upcoming MARY POPPINS RETURNS. The film, co-starring HAMILTON's Lin-Manuel Miranda, is set to hit theaters in December 2018

"I feel a little more trepidation with this [character] because she's so emblematic of people's nostalgia," says the actress. "It's such an important character in people's childhood." She goes on to reveal that her take on the magical nanny may get a new spin in director Rob Marshall's version. "We're delving into the books a lot more," she says of P.L. Travers' original novel, "which is a different version of the character, I'll say that much." She adds, "She's a little meaner."

Although the 'Devil Wears Prada' star has not had a chance to speak with Ms. Andrews directly about the role, director Marshall did have the opportunity. Blunt tells EW, "Rob said he was in the Hamptons, and he saw [Andrews], and he said, 'It's top secret, but Emily Blunt's playing Mary Poppins'. And she went, 'Oh, wonderful!'"

It's no surprise that the praise was well-received. "I felt like I wanted to cry," says Blunt. "It was lovely to get her stamp of approval. That took the edge off it, for sure."

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos