Emily Blunt, the uptight fashion assistant who came to mainstream attention in “The Devil Wears Prada” throws in comedic poetry in the family-3D movie “Gulliver’s Travels” with Jack Black.
The movie starts in modern-day New York City where Jack Black’s Gulliver works in the mailroom of a newspaper who has a long-time secret crush on the paper’s travel editor Darcy, (Amanda Peet). Hoping to impress Darcy, Gulliver bluffs his way to a writing assignment at the Bermuda Triangle only to find himself washed away in the miniature island of Lilliput where Princess Mary (Blunt) resides.
When Gulliver is washed ashore on this strange new world, among the first he meets is General Edward Edwardian (Chris O’Dowd), the commander of the Lilliput army. Edward’s distrust of the gargantuan creature – Gulliver – that has suddenly appeared in Lilliput, as well as the general’s ambitions, leads him to take Gulliver prisoner. As Gulliver becomes a hero to the Lilliputians, the newly emboldened giant takes Lilliputian commoner Horatio under his wing and helps him woo the once unattainable Princess Mary, who is “engaged” to Edward.
Princess Mary, being the object of both Horatio’s and Edward’s affections, spends most of her days preparing for and being kidnapped by the enemy Blefuscians. The once-weekly occurrence isn’t exactly what the princess wants to be doing with her entire life; moreover, the perfunctory courtship of pre-destined paramour Edward is boring her to death. So the romantic attentions of the intriguing Horatio are at least something new for the princess.
Emily Blunt is also known for portraying hard-edged characters, like the intensely neurotic executive assistant in “The Devil Wears Prada” and a biohazard/crime scene clean-up specialist in “Sunshine Cleaning,” relished the chance to take on what she calls her most “girly” role to date. “It was time to play someone sweet and innocent for once,” says Blunt, who also appreciated the theme of changes and modernization that run through the story. “Gulliver has an edgy, modern sensibility that Jack really brings to life,” she says. “His Gulliver comes to our little world and gets everyone riled up, enabling them to see the world in a new way.”
Blunt’s strong early debuts onstage in 2002 as Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet” and in “The Royal Family” opposite dame Judi Dench landed her roles on television and eventually on her highly acclaimed movie “My Summer of Love.” Her role in the movie won her the Most Promising Newcomer award at the 2005 Evening Standard British Film Awards and was nominated in the Best Newcomer category at the 2004 British Independent Film Awards.
She continued to reap attention in her performance in the critically-acclaimed miniseries “Gideon’s Daughter” opposite Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson where she won a Golden Globe for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. Her next notable role in “The Devil Wears Prada” further imprinted her in worldwide recognition as the movie opened to great acclaim and produced great box-office returns. Blunt was nominated in the Breakout Female category at the 2006 Teen Choice Awards for her performance and was honored with the Breakthrough Award at the 2006 Movieline Young Hollywood Awards. She was also nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs for the role. Blunt went on to be nominated for the Rising Star Award at the 2007 BAFTAs. Her other works include “The Great Buck Howard,” “Dan in Real Life,” “The Jane Austen Book Club,” “Sunshine Cleaning,” “Charlie Wilson’s War” and “The Young Victoria.”
“Gulliver’s Travels” opens January 8 (Saturday) in all formats in cinemas across the Philippines from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
source: 20th Century Fox Philippines
