Emily Blunt
Age: 32
From: London, England
Last film: “Sicaro”
Ever since sharing, or perhaps stealing, the spotlight from Anne Hathaway in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Emily Blunt has proven that she can rule more than just the fashion world. After her turn as the caustic co-assistant to Meryl Streep’s vicious Miranda Priestly, she’s taken on an impressive range of roles with the same sophistication. The British actress has held her own alongside some of the best, starring alongside Meryl Streep, Dame Judi Dench and Tom Hanks at various points in her career. If Bond should be a smooth-talking, manipulating daredevil, this is the woman for the job.
Of course, casting a woman as Bond would be a step into new territory for the franchise. Even casting Daniel Craig as the first blond Bond sparked controversy among those dedicated to Ian Fleming’s novels. Emily Blunt herself turned down female leads in superhero movies “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Iron Man 2,” describing the parts as thankless. Her refusal to be typecast into those roles makes her an even more compelling choice to lead a franchise of her own. Recently, she’s even taken on the challenge of representing a woman in a stereotypically male environment in the excellent “Sicario.”
Blunt brings much more to the screen than her gender, however. The incisive wit and improvisational style she displays in “The Devil Wears Prada” would translate well for 007. Her experience in “Looper” and “Edge of Tomorrow” ensure us that her escapades as Bond would be every bit as action-packed as fans have come to expect. Not to mention that her British accent is completely authentic. Blunt would be a new kind of Bond girl: 007 in the flesh.
Contact Reed Canaan at rcanaan ‘at’ stanford.edu.