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NEW SONGS10 YOU OCTOBER 02, 2016 NEED TO HEAR

BY TIFFANY BAKKER

F Emily Blunt thought playing an emotionally shattered, self-loathing PLUS alcoholic in the thriller, The Girl on the Train, Imight be a difficult skin to shed at the end of each day, her two- SOLO MAN year-old daughter swiftly brought things back into focus. “I remember it had been a BARRY GIBB really long day and the scenes had been quite draining,” the PLAYS ON 33-year-old British actor says, sitting in a hotel room overlooking New York’s Central Park. MORE MAGIC “And I got home and Hazel had a horrible stomach ON THE SET OF bug, and she got into bed with me because she was so ill, and JK ROWLING'S I just remember waking up to her projectile vomiting into my face. So that immediately NEW MOVIE brings you back to reality, getting a projectile vomit from a toddler straight into your mouth.” In the film adaptation of ex- journalist Paula Hawkins’ phenomenally successful thriller, The Girl on the Train, think this year’s Gone Girl, Blunt plays Rachel, a recently divorced woman teetering on the edge of an emotional abyss. Taking the train from her suburban New York home, the setting has moved from the novel’s location, each day to a city job we never see her in, Rachel watches out the window and into the home of what she thinks is a perfect couple. But the suburbs have secrets and Rachel, who is prone to alcohol-induced blackouts, thinks she might have done something terrible when the woman whose life she covets goes missing. “I was just terrified of playing her. That’s usually a good indicator of why I want to do something if it seems so out of reach to me,” says Blunt, who adds that she is not averse herself to “creepily staring at BLUNT strangers, wondering what’s going on in their lives”. “And I loved that your female protagonist is a raging alcoholic in a mainstream film. “It’s a very unusual thing to see on screen.” True, Blunt says the fact Rachel is not overly FORCE “likeable” is something of WHY EMILY BLUNT WAS TERRIFIED OF PLAYING AN a breakthrough for women ALCOHOLIC FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS in mainstream cinema. / CONTINUED PAGE FOUR

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COVER STORY EDDIE REDMAYNE STARS AS NEWT SCAMANDER IN FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE Drama has TO FIND THEM. Blunt force

/ FROM PAGE 1 but some she won’t watch. “Women are held to this These days she says she’s ideal of being likeable and “more specific” about what pretty and witty and she’s putting out into the supportive. It drives me crazy,” world. Blunt says, adding it’s good “But I’m very fortunate that to see a woman painted in I’m in a position where I’ve a “more truthful, flawed been afforded the opportunity and human light”. to be choosy,” she adds. “And Still, some things never that’s not something I take change. Much of the lightly. I mean there are some commentary surrounding the films of mine I will never film, annoyingly, has centred watch for whatever reason. on the fact Blunt is apparently There are certain roles that “too pretty” to play the feel a bit flat or superficial. The troubled Rachel, a narrative girlfriend role is not appealing which also drives Blunt to to me anymore.” distraction. As for favourite co-stars, “I think it’s easy to talk one very famous name sits about it in a superficial way. atop the list. And I understand why people “I love ,” she are mentioning it, but I think grins. “Completely.” it’s an easy thing to say,” she Blunt says she understands says, rolling her eyes. “I mean why Streep, who she starred it’s pretty apparent I look like with in The Devil Wears Prada shit in the movie. But it’s not and , is so about me having some sort of universally adored. make-under — this character “Meryl is so beloved. She’s is very sad, I had a lot of like, ‘Oh, please’. She’s sick of empathy for her.” being beloved. I think she As Rachel yearns for a wants some haters,” grins more picture-perfect life, Blunt Blunt. “But if I ever needed gets why society seems to advice on how to navigate grow ever more celebrity- something in this business, I obsessed. would go to her, but I would “We do idealise people’s also go to her to navigate lives. We do have that desire something about being a to see behind closed doors. mother. She’s just one of those FANTASTIC BEASTS And I think, specifically, if you people that’s done it right.” are in the public eye Next up, the actor is taking nowadays, the public is only on one of literature’s iconic presented with images of characters — perfection, and the red carpet, (again alongside Streep). She and your perfect life,” she says the line between muses. “Nobody ever posts a excitement and abject terror at picture of their toddler having taking on a role so famously a tantrum, or themselves played by is looking like shit, or them excruciatingly fine. fighting with their husband.” “Yes!” she enthuses. “It’s a For Blunt, it’s all about the very fine line, and the line work. In a vastly varied career, becomes increasingly blurry as EDDIE she’s played everything from a I get closer, but I am incredibly scene-stealing acerbic fashion excited. It’s a heart-racing magazine assistant in The project.” Devil Wears Prada to an FBI Indeed, Blunt’s husband, agent fighting Mexican drug actor (The cartels in the excellent Sicario, Office) who she married in to a special forces warrior up 2010, recently posted a video against an alien invasion online saying the couple’s two (alongside ) in kids will never think he’s cool . compared to a mum who has Some films she’s proud of played Mary Poppins. PERFECT BUY 4 EPIC TIX AND SAVE $80 * *Savings available on A Reserve seating for midweek evening and Sunday evening performances. Transaction fees may apply.

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