Emily Blunt’s most ICONIC roles: From ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ to ‘Oppenheimer’

Emily Blunt walked into Hollywood as a scene stealing assistant in a fashion magazine and two decades later walked out with an Oscar. In between she fought wars, survived monsters, raised queens, brought back Mary Poppins and somehow made every single role the most memorable thing on screen. Here is a look at the films that built one of the most impressive careers in modern cinema.

Emily Blunt played Emily Charlton, the sharp tongued and fiercely ambitious first assistant to the legendary Miranda Priestly. In David Frankel's fashion world satire, her razor sharp comic timing and cutting one liners made her one of the most memorable parts of the entire film despite not being the lead. It was her Hollywood breakthrough and fans are still quoting her lines nearly two decades later.

Blunt took on the role of Queen Victoria, depicting the early years of her reign and her romance with Prince Albert in Jean-Marc Vallée's historical drama. The performance was layered, graceful and deeply human, showing a young queen navigating love and immense political pressure at the same time. It earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress and announced her as a serious force in Hollywood.

Blunt played Rita Vrataski, a legendary soldier nicknamed the Full Metal Bitch, opposite Tom Cruise. In Doug Liman's sci-fi action thriller, she trained extensively for the role and delivered a physically commanding performance that had audiences completely convinced. Rita rapidly emerged as one of the most well-versed female action heroes on film.

Blunt's Kate Macer was an idealistic FBI agent caught up in an ethically ambiguous operation in the US-Mexico border. Denis Villeneuve's brutal thriller called for her to convey the emotional charge of every scene, often just through reaction. It's one of her best performances and one of the best thrillers ever.

Blunt starred as Evelyn Abbott, a mother fighting to protect her family in a world where any sound can get you killed. Her real life husband John Krasinski's post-apocalyptic horror gave her a role where she conveyed pure emotion, fear and fierce maternal instinct with almost no dialogue at all. It became a massive box office hit and her performance was widely considered the emotional heart of the entire story.

Blunt played the magical nanny Mary Poppins in this highly anticipated sequel. Instead of playing Julie Andrews, she brought a unique charm, grace and style to Rob Marshall's interpretation of the character, while remaining faithful to the original. A humorous and brave performance that brought a much-loved character to a new audience.

In Christopher Nolan's epic biographical drama, Blunt played the brilliant and protective wife of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Katherine Oppenheimer. In Christopher Nolan's biographical epic, she delivered an intense and angsty performance in a film full of strong leads. The role earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and became one of the defining moments of her already remarkable career.

Blunt returns as Emily Charlton in the long awaited sequel, reuniting with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway nearly two decades after the original. In the sequel, Emily Charlton has become a high-powered executive for a luxury fashion brand, with her life colliding again with Andy and Miranda in a high-stakes battle for industry power. David Frankel returns to direct and the film released in theaters on May 1, 2026, making it one of the most anticipated comebacks in recent Hollywood memory.