Emily Blunt‘s rise to fame in Hollywood has been nothing short of remarkable. Blunt’s broad filmography, spanning from her breakout role in The Devil Wears Prada to her gripping part in A Quiet Place, demonstrates that she can successfully transition across genres, such as action-packed thrillers and thought-provoking dramas, to magical musicals and haunting horrors.
Blunt, born on February 13, 1983, in London, England, discovered her passion for acting at a young age. She began her career on stage, appearing in productions such as The Royal Family and Romeo and Juliet with the acclaimed National Youth Theatre. Her appeal and talent swiftly earned her a position in Boudica, a British television drama that aired in 2003, propelling her into the spotlight and leading to numerous other notable roles from there.
Blunt has garnered various nominations and accolades, including Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Screen Actors Guild awards. Her ability to immerse herself in varied parts and give remarkable performances has earned her a place among the industry’s most renowned and sought-after actresses.
Here’s a rundown of some of her most memorable performances.
11. Pain Hustlers (2023)
This 2023 Netflix movie stars Blunt as Liza Drake, a single mom with not a lot to her name, but plenty more in ambition. Drake works for a bankrupt pharmaceutical company but quickly manages to gain lots of success and riches, eventually finding herself in the middle of some serious criminal exposure.
Pain Hustlers also stars Chris Evans, Catherine O’Hara, and Andy Garcia coming together with Blunt for what looks so far like a potentially enjoyable performance. The tone of the film is colorful, clever, and certainly stylish since the plot is set in some of the more exotic parts of Florida. This film has earned mixed reviews since its recent release, but Blunt (respectfully along with Evans) seems to always draw audiences to screens, making this perhaps worth the time.
10. The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
The Adjustment Bureau is a sci-fi thriller starring Blunt as Elise Sellas. She’s a contemporary ballet dancer who wins the affection of Matt Damon‘s character, David Norris. Elise is complex, free-spirited, determined, and dedicated to her craft. She is the spark that destabilizes David Norris’ life and, as a result, the intentions of the enigmatic, seemingly omnipotent organization known as “The Adjustment Bureau.”
Elise and David’s genuine and profound connection becomes a challenge to the Bureau, which the audience sees played out in thrilling fashion. Blunt’s chemistry with Damon is palpable, propelling the romantic thread of the story, all while keeping the suspense active. And Blunt’s portrayal of a professional dancer is also so convincing because she studied dance long before the shooting began.
9. A Quiet Place (2018)
The post-apocalyptic horror-thriller A Quiet Place, was directed by Blunt’s real-life husband and co-star, John Krasinski. The film shows a family doing their best to stay alive in a world invaded by sound-hunting monsters. Blunt plays Evelyn Abbott, the matriarch of her family. She is a pillar of strength and fortitude, juggling the responsibilities of keeping her children safe and prepared to survive in the harsh environment they call home.
In one of the film’s most frightening scenes, Evelyn, who is heavily pregnant, must navigate through a complicated and silent labor and birth while one of the creatures is in their home. This scene is a testament to Blunt’s exceptional ability to convey fear, pain, and determination without dialogue, a prominent theme in the film due to the necessity of silence for survival. The display of raw grit and the force of motherhood in the face of great adversity is one of many reasons to give this movie a watch.
8. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Directed by Doug Liman, Edge of Tomorrow is a sci-fi action film starring Blunt as Sergeant Rita Vrataski, a highly decorated soldier “affectionately” known as the “Full Metal B*tch”. The plot, inspired by the Japanese novel, All You Need Is Kill, by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, involves time travel and a conflict against an alien race called the Mimics.
When Major William Cage (Tom Cruise), a rookie officer, gets stuck in a time loop that repeatedly forces him to reenact the same deadly battle, he looks to Vrataski for aid. Rita, who had been once caught in the time herself, becomes Cage’s guide and trainer as they work together to destroy the Mimics. The film’s action-packed segments are balanced with moments of fun and emotional depth thanks to the chemistry between Blunt and Cruise, certainly making this pick an enjoyable movie.
7. Into the Woods (2014)
Emily Blunt plays the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, the 2014 musical fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall and based on Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway musical of the same name. The film is a mix of multiple Grimm fairy tales, featuring a convoluted plot that delves into what happens to the characters after they get their wishes. Blunt, along with James Corden playing her husband, the Baker, portrays a couple desperate to break a witch’s (Meryl Streep) curse so that they can finally have a family of their own.
This interwoven fairy tale plays out with numerous songs, giving both Blunt and Corden plenty of opportunities to show off their respective singing abilities throughout the film. However, the scene in which Blunt’s character has a moment of self-realization, contemplating her actions and desires, is set to the song “Moments in the Woods,” which is one of her most memorable performances in the film.
6. Oppenheimer (2023)
In the film Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt delivers a captivating performance as Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, the complex and troubled wife of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. Blunt characterizes her as temperamental yet fiercely devoted, a woman trapped between her own ambitions and society’s standards. Kitty Oppenheimer is shown as a rebellious botanist who seeks fulfillment outside of standard female roles.
What distinguishes Blunt’s performance is her ability to make Kitty a realistic and relatable character, thanks to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s drive to create a rich and magnificent female character who is not always likable but is honest and challenges preconceptions. Kitty’s sensitivity, longing for independence, and battles with alcoholism are all captured in Blunt’s performance.
5. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
In the widely popular comedy-drama film The Devil Wears Prada, Emily Blunt plays Emily Charlton, the top assistant to Miranda Priestly, played by the legendary Meryl Streep. Charlton is a fashion-conscious, ambitious, and slightly vain woman frequently irritated by her coworker, the film’s protagonist, Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway. Andy is fresh to the fashion industry and initially lacks Blunt’s character’s stylistic zeal and dedication.
Blunt’s performance as one of the supporting characters is hilarious, clever, and fierce, making this one of her breakout performances, earlier in her career. Because of this, Charlton remains a favorite among fans for her quotable lines and relatable struggles. She earned a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, cementing her as a versatile actress who’s talented in any role.
4. The Young Victoria (2009)
In 2009’s The Young Victoria, Emily Blunt plays the titular role. The film follows Queen Victoria from her accession of the throne at 18 and through her early marriage to Prince Albert (Rupert Friend). Victoria’s effort to assert herself in the face of male courtiers like Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany), her advisor and reputed lover, is a significant plot point as well.
Viewers see Blunt’s efforts as clearly relatable in her portrayal of a historical figure. She is strong-willed, clever, impulsive, and even naive, consistently throughout the film. Blunt received widespread acclaim for her performance in The Young Victoria, earning several award nominations, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture.
3. Looper (2012)
Directed by Rian Johnson, Looper is a science-fiction thriller starring Emily Blunt as Sara, a determined single mother in a dystopian future. Time travel is an illegal commodity, only sold on the black market. The mob uses Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a “looper” (or, hired gun), to eliminate targets by transporting them into the past, where the “looper” is waiting. When Joe realizes that one of his victims is his future self (Bruce Willis), the narrative takes a surprising turn.
In comes Sara, a fierce, protective mother, is introduced about halfway through the film. When she and her son encounter a teenage Joe, on the run, the film’s plot gets even more interesting. Blunt’s performance here was well-received by critics, praising her engaging nature and ability to stand out in an ensemble of excellent actors.
2. My Summer of Love (2004)
My Summer of Love, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, is a British drama film from 2004 starring Blunt as Tamsin, an affluent, charismatic, and manipulative teenager. The film, adapted from Helen Cross’s novel of the same name, features Tamsin as a wealthy heiress who becomes deeply involved with Mona (Natalie Press), a local girl from a very different, working-class background.
The central dynamic of the picture is the friendship between Tamsin and Mona, both of whom are struggling with internal conflicts. Despite her affluence, Tamsin deals with feelings of loneliness and familial neglect, while Mona struggles with a newly-religious brother and her own feelings of isolation and restlessness.
1. Sicario (2015)
Emily Blunt’s performance in Denis Villeneuve’s crime thriller Sicario won her more critical acclaim. She plays FBI agent Kate Macer, an idealist whom a government task group recruits to help with the growing drug battle along the U.S.-Mexico border. At first, as a “team player”, Agent Macer is soon forced into a world of moral ambiguity and lawlessness.
Blunt has a convincing performance throughout the film, toeing the line between right and wrong. As the operation progresses and Kate is drawn deeper into it, she is disillusioned with the methods employed by task force chief Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and the mysterious Alejandro (Benicio del Toro).