Travers' book series and Disney’s 1964 film doesn’t circle Hollywood quite as often.
For the umbrella to drop, as it were.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So, whoisMary Poppins?EMILYBLUNT:Lin-Manuel Miranda.
What was that like?LIN-MANUELMIRANDA:What was your relationship toPoppinsgrowing up?
They’ve been fooled.BLUNT:By both of us!
I did it and they were like, “Can you do that again?”
but cut to me two months later…BLUNT:It was just too much pressure.
It became this in-joke with Rob and John.
They were like, “Donotmake her turn.”
Truly, I don’t know why I can’t.
I can pick up other steps fine.
And I think the one spin that they actually ended up using in the film…
Rob had to use three different cuts to execute.
Not three spins, but three-quartersofonespin that I could barely make around.
[Laughs] So I don’t know if I ever honed that skill.
But certainly with three cuts in there, it looked like I did.
Terror.MIRANDA:Our joint choreography, terror, but also finding everything together.
They make these parts like tailored suits.
Lin, you call this your first “big movie.”
For me, coming from theatre, the adrenaline source is having the audience there.
And when you take that audience away, where is it?
Where does that part come from?
The adrenaline source is in getting it right in that moment.
You’re coming in blind, you haven’t rehearsed, you’re rewriting scenes on the day.
I’ve had that on almost every other [project].MIRANDA:I’m writing that down.
Kick-bollocks scramble.BLUNT:you’re free to have that one.
And it can feel like you’re making a film with a gun to your head.
Rather than trying to play catch-up and make the schedule and “we’re losing the light!”
And that got me out of so much neurosis.
I just knew I had to give everything.
[Tea arrives.]
It’s like, delivering the gossip.
Mary spills the tea.
Ooh, I’m gonna say it.
The cheeks wereeverso pink on that one.
[Laughs]
You were both cast individually.
So the first time, it was wanting to see it, the incredible spectacle that it was.
And then I saw it again with my mother.
And it was areallystressful show.
I honestly felt like I was auditioningforMary Poppins, the person.
Mary is notoriously mysterious, and Jack is a brand-new character not from P.L.
And they’ve written off their relationship with Mary Poppins, but Jack never forgot.
Jack sees Mary Poppins and remembers it all for the magic that it is.
Shelovesgoing on these adventures.
It’s like her fix, you know?
And yet, she pretends it doesn’t happen, and she makes it all aboutyou.
She likes that element of who knows.
There’s nothing manipulative about her generosity.
She expects nothing in return.
She takes no credit for anything that she does.
She makes it completely a voyage of self-discovery for you, for healing [the Banks] family.
And then she leaves.
I think that’s probably the ultimate form of empathy, isn’t it?
I’ve actually never thought of her like that until just now.
Finding just a little crack where you see a little piece of her.
“She’s so excited.
She’s got to be full of feeling so you can want to do this for this family.
It became really fun finding the musical way into Jack.
And the kids were just like, “Daaaaancing queeeen!
“BLUNT:All I want to do is embarrass Colin.
He’s been a friend for a while.
And just boom, went from 90 degrees, face down.
You haven’t seen Buster Keaton do a pratfall like this.
And everyone rushes over like, “Meryl Streep has died!
“BLUNT:It was astonishing.
I’ve never seen someone fall faster and flatter.
I gasped, and I thought, “That it, that’s how Meryl Streep dies.
They had to paint that stubble.
It’s all goatee.
That’s why Hamilton looked great.
But I’m not even sorry.
She was such a sweetheart about it.
I mean, she’s fing Mrs. Lovett!
So elegant and sharp.MIRANDA:And when she sang, it was magical.Magical, to hear Angela Lansbury singing.
And finally, we have to talk about Dick Van Dyke.
What do you recall about that day of shooting?MIRANDA:No acting required.BLUNT:Just grinning.
He was so game and so agile.MIRANDA:That was also the most emotional day on set.
He has this beautiful monologue, but then he also sang [off-script] “Feed the Birds.”
But that was the beauty of Rob.
He kept it so that you didn’t feel the bigness too much.
We just focused on this story and these people and this moment.
Can you imagine if she was like, “Oh,her?”
I would be devastated.
I haven’t spoken to her directly though.
I would love to!
That’s when you just see, like, talent hitting you between the eyes.MIRANDA:Oh my goodness.
Well, my answer comes at the end of filming, during the final moments with Mary Poppins.
And this is where you’re like, “Oh, she’s really a fing movie star.”
I watched take after take.
And John’s like [deep, gruff] “Ya did?”
“MIRANDA:For me, the joy was my son was just starting to become himself.
[Blunt and Miranda show iPhone photos of their children for about three minutes.
On an almost daily basis, this set seemed enchanted.
But this was the first time I got it!
Because every day was such a joyous, surreal activity.
But I think it permeates what you see on that screen.
Got really emotional watchin' you do that.”
Maybe we didn’t realize how much we wanted her to come back.
And now she’s back.
For more onMary Poppins Returns, pick up the new issue ofEntertainment Weeklyon stands now, orbuy it here.
