Who is actor Emily Blunt?
Emily Blunt, whose full name is Emily Olivia Laura Blunt, is a British-American actor born on 23 February 1983 in London, England. She is known for dramatic, comedic and action-oriented screen roles, including performances in The Devil Wears Prada, The Young Victoria, Edge of Tomorrow, A Quiet Place and Oppenheimer. Her work has earned major industry recognition, including a Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Background/biography
Blunt was raised in London in a family of four children. Her father, Oliver Blunt, worked as a barrister, while her mother, Joanna Blunt, worked as a teacher and actor. She attended Ibstock Place School in Roehampton before studying at Hurtwood House, a boarding school in Surrey known for its performing-arts program.
As a child, Blunt experienced a stutter. She has said that acting helped her develop confidence with speaking after a teacher encouraged her to perform using a different voice. While at Hurtwood House, she appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where she was noticed by an agent. She began her professional acting career on stage before moving into television and film.
Film and television career
- My Summer of Love (2004) — early feature-film role as Tamsin.
- Gideon's Daughter (2005) — television film performance that won her a Golden Globe Award.
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006) — played Emily Charlton, the sharp-tongued assistant to Miranda Priestly.
- The Young Victoria (2009) — played Queen Victoria.
- Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011) — starred opposite Ewan McGregor.
- Looper (2012) — appeared as Sara in the science-fiction thriller.
- Edge of Tomorrow (2014) — played Sergeant Rita Vrataski alongside Tom Cruise.
- Into the Woods (2014) — played the Baker's Wife in the musical film adaptation.
- Sicario (2015) — starred as FBI agent Kate Macer.
- The Girl on the Train (2016) — played Rachel Watson.
- A Quiet Place (2018) — played Evelyn Abbott; the role earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award.
- Mary Poppins Returns (2018) — played Mary Poppins.
- A Quiet Place Part II (2020) — returned as Evelyn Abbott.
- Oppenheimer (2023) — played Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer.
- The Fall Guy (2024) — played filmmaker Jody Moreno.
Blunt built her early reputation through British television, theatre and supporting film roles before gaining broad international attention with The Devil Wears Prada. She subsequently moved between independent dramas, large-scale studio films, musicals and thrillers, often taking roles that require contrasting dramatic and comic styles.
For Oppenheimer, Blunt received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She has also received nominations from organizations including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Screen Actors Guild.
From British stage work to international films
Before becoming widely known in Hollywood, Blunt made her professional stage debut in a 2001 production of The Royal Family, directed by Sir Peter Hall. Her television work in the mid-2000s, particularly Gideon's Daughter, brought early critical recognition. Her role in The Devil Wears Prada then introduced her to a global mainstream audience.
Her later career has included frequent collaborations with director John Krasinski, whom she married in 2010. The couple worked together on A Quiet Place and its sequel, films in which Krasinski directed and co-starred while Blunt played a central role.
Did you know?
- Emily Blunt has said that she experienced a stutter as a child and that acting became an important part of overcoming her difficulty with speech.
- She won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film for Gideon's Daughter.
- She became a United States citizen in 2015 while retaining her British citizenship.
- Blunt is married to actor and filmmaker John Krasinski; they married in 2010.
- She is the sister-in-law of actor Stanley Tucci, who is married to her sister Felicity Blunt.
- For her performance in A Quiet Place, she won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.
