Royal Command: Emily Blunt Interview

04 March 09

Emily Blunt talks to writer Quentin Falk about playing The Young Victoria.

The last time Emily Blunt played the Queen of England, it all ended very badly
when, as Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Ray Winstone’s Henry VIII in the 2003 ITV
miniseries, she was summarily beheaded for treason.

Blunt, just 20 at the time, was very much playing her own age. Now, six years on, the London-born actress who has since gone on to make her Hollywood name in films like The Devil Wears Prada and Charlie Wilson’s War, returns as a teenage version of perhaps our monarchy’s most remarkable survivor.

As the eponymous Young Victoria, sheplays the role from aged 17, hemmed in by court intrigue as part of Europe’s biggest extended Royal Family, through her ascension at 18 and on to marriage with Prince Albert two years later with the clear indication that this was destined to be the beginning of one of the greatest reigns.

Previous films about Victoria have tended to concentrate on her later life, notably in films like The Mudlark (with Irene Dunne) and, of course, Mrs Brown, a more recent triumph for Judi Dench as the older Queen being wooed out of her grief.

Blunt explains: “There is a perception of her being sour-faced and repressed, but when she was younger she was the polar opposite – which is how we’re portraying her in this film. She was exuberant, irrepressible, emotional and passionate, had a fiery temper and great self-belief. When, at the age on 11, she finally realised that one day she’d be Queen, she cried all night then the next day said to her governess, ‘I will be good.’”

No wonder Blunt chased the role. “My agent heard about it quite early on and got them to meet me. I think it might have been a full year before we shot it.

“I guess I was quite pushy in my approach to wanting the part and I was well aware that bigger names were bartering for it and I may well have been part of an elimination process.

“Yes, I certainly wanted it and told them that in no uncertain terms. I don’t think parts like this come along very often so you have to put your helmet on and fight for them. I’m very grateful to producer Graham King for taking a bit of a leap of faith with me.

“Maybe,” she laughs, “there was something a bit royal in me demanding the part.”

In fact, the story goes that King and fellow producer Martin Scorsese, who’d already been impressed by the actress’s passion for the role, saw Blunt accept her Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in Stephen Poliakoff ’s BBC TV drama Gideon’s Daughter. “That’s Queen Victoria,” said Scorsese, apparently with some finality.

There’s certainly something quite regal about Blunt – polite but steely – as she carefully answers questions, wary of any potential traps. She is very respectful of the film’s director, French Canadian Jean-Marc Vallée, and especially its writer, Julian Fellowes.

“To be able to capture the teenage voice of a girl is unquestionably a talent. We all fell in love with Julian’s script. With most period films, the period is often held in too much reverence; you don’t often get to see the humanity. Here, you get to see her with her public face on and then in private – and you see how much of an actress she was.”

Vallée had, like many, been much struck by Blunt’s first, award-winning film role in My Summer Of Love and her progress since then has been nothing short of spectacular.

This year, she has another four films coming out, including The Great Buck Howard and Sunshine Cleaning – smallish, US independent films which both played successfully at Sundance in 2008 – a British black comedy, Wild Target, that reunites her with Gideon’s co-star Bill Nighy, and, at the other end of the budget spectrum, The Wolfman, co-starring with Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. Awaiting her acting pleasure is an updated version of Gulliver’s Travels and Iron Man 2 as well as voicing the latter half of the animated Gnomeo And Juliet.

Well aware of this extraordinary schedule, Blunt smiles, admitting: “Yes, they’re now coming out in a bit of a rush. However, they are all very different and for that I’m relieved, with very different kinds of budgets. It’s important to do indie films and then also do something for the team.” Team Blunt? That sounds like the start of a new dynasty.

The Young Victoria is scheduled for UK release on 6 March.