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Emily Blunt plays a young Queen Victoria in "The Young Victoria," a new film about the first years of Queen Victoria's rule which is being released December 18, 2009 by Apparition. The film also stars Rupert Friend and is directed by Jean-Marc Vallee.
Emily explains her passion for the role
"I couldn't help but be attracted to this remarkable, high-spirited, feisty girl. The script was very exciting, as the public and private Victoria are very different and you realize what a performance it was to be a queen." Blunt found herself identifying with Victoria. "I identify with her hugely. We all know what it is like to be a teenager, to stubbornly think we know it all and to actually be in a job which is way over your head, not to mention being deeply in love for the first time. She had such zest for life at a young age and would talk with such passion about the people she loved, opera even food."
Changing Preconceived Notions
Blunt also welcomed the chance to challenge the common view held about Victoria. “I was blown away by how remarkable she was and she seemed like a very modern character, a very 21st century sort of woman. It appealed that it was an opportunity to play someone who is a contradiction to people’s preconception of what she was like. Everyone knows her as the mourning Queen who was wheeled around in black with a hanky on her head and was kind of repressed, but she was just the polar opposite when she was younger. That was exciting to me, that I could change people’s opinion of what Victoria was like."
On Vallee
"I’ve never met a director as passionate about a project as Jean-Marc before. I think he was the perfect choice, because he has the most beautiful eye. I can’t even begin to compliment him on his vision for this film. It’s good not to have an English or European director, because he doesn’t hold this period in too much reverence. I think we all have a tendency to do that here and then it becomes stuffy and unapproachable. I think that Jean-Marc brings this very modern approach to it and he’s sees her as a rebel. When he said that to me at our first meeting I was completely taken aback at first, and then I realised he’s so right it’s scary! We couldn’t have asked for a better guy for this."