Emily Blunt Disgusted With Deliberate Uglification In $173M Thriller

Discover How Emily Blunt Expressed Her Disgust With Her Appearance In The Hit Thriller “The Girl On The Train” And The Controversial Makeup Choices Made

By Akshay Sharma
May 30,2023
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Emily Blunt, renowned for her exceptional acting skills, has consistently delivered outstanding performances throughout her career. From her breakout roles in “Gideon’s Daughter” and “The Devil Wears Prada” to her recent successes, she has showcased her ability to immerse herself in her characters, a key trait of a great actor.

Emily Blunt’s Displeasure with Her Appearance in “The Girl on the Train”: In the critically acclaimed thriller “The Girl on the Train,” Blunt portrayed an alcoholic character, earning her a BAFTA nomination and further boosting her career. However, the actress had mixed feelings about her appearance in the film, particularly her makeup.

Feeling Awful:

Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt’s Initial Reaction: During a 2016 interview with news.com.au, the 40-year-old actress expressed her horror when she first saw her appearance in “The Girl on the Train.” She described feeling “awful” when she looked at herself, as the makeup team intentionally enhanced her no-makeup look with details like rosacea and under-eye bags.

Blunt candidly admitted, “It was hard seeing myself look so awful. I came into work with no make-up, and they would make me look even worse, adding rosacea and bags.” The actress confessed that she could barely stand to look at her own reflection, highlighting the extent to which her appearance was deliberately altered for the role.

Fascination with Contact Lenses: Despite her displeasure with her overall transformation, Blunt found a silver lining in the makeup process. She had no qualms about wearing contact lenses that enhanced her look, particularly during scenes portraying her character’s extreme drunkenness.

Eerie Glassiness:

Emily Blunt

The Impact of Contact Lenses: Blunt shared her fascination with the contact lenses used for her character’s intoxicated state. She explained that the lenses covered her entire eyes, creating a bloodshot effect. Different levels of redness were employed to represent varying degrees of drunkenness. She noted that the glassiness in the eyes of heavily intoxicated individuals fascinated her, as it conveyed a certain craziness.

Collaboration and Director’s Vision: Blunt’s makeup for the film was expertly crafted by makeup artist Kyra Panchenko, who skillfully brought her character to life. Director Tate Taylor actively requested the crew to make her appearance “a little more drunk and ugly.” This deliberate transformation aimed to make her character more authentic, as her natural beauty was at odds with the haggard appearance required for the role. Blunt successfully embraced the challenge, receiving acclaim from critics for her performance.

Despite Emily Blunt’s initial discomfort with her altered appearance in “The Girl on the Train,” her commitment to her character’s realism shone through. The intentional transformation, including the use of contact lenses, ultimately contributed to her compelling portrayal. Blunt’s ability to fully immerse herself in her roles continues to captivate audiences and solidify her position as a remarkable actress. “The Girl on the Train” is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

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