Hot take: Is Emily Blunt actually about to retire?

What prompts a Hollywood A-lister to hit the pause button on their bustling career? For hot British actress Emily Blunt, the siren call of family has drawn her away from the glitz and glam of Tinseltown, at least for a while.

Blunt, who plays a compelling role in the much-anticipated film Oppenheimer, has recently declared that she’s intentionally hitting the breaks on her professional pursuits for a full year. What prompted this hot silver screen superstar to make such a decision?

Family First

“I’m not working this year,” Blunt announced on iHeart’s podcast, Table For Two with Bruce Bozzi. The Devil Wears Prada actress is embracing her roles off-screen — that of a mother to daughters Hazel, nine, and Violet, six, and partner to husband, actor John Krasinski. “My oldest baby is nine,” she explained, “so we’re in the last year of single digits.”

While it’s a challenge for any working parent to juggle career and kids, for Blunt, it feels like a matter of crucial moments slipping away. “Will you wake me up? Will you take me to school? Will you pick me up? Will you put me to bed?” These are the cornerstones of a child’s day, she says, and she needs to be there for them all.

Balancing a successful career and a happy home isn’t always as glamorous as it sounds. Blunt expressed the “emotional cost” of her time-consuming projects on her family. And like any other mother, she confesses, she’s “very prone to guilt.”

However, she’s quick to clarify that she doesn’t see ambition as a vice. “I’m a huge advocate for women being ambitious. It’s just dreams with purpose, it’s not an ugly word,” Blunt passionately stated.

The cost

Interestingly, Blunt recently admitted that she doesn’t wish her children to follow in her acting footsteps. At forty, she’s seen enough of the industry to know its cutthroat nature and superficial elements can be “very disappointing” for women.

Blunt further adds that her fame isn’t “exciting” for her kids, and she’s “completely disassociated” with her level of stardom. Her priority is being a mom, and she’s doing her best to keep her kids grounded amidst her Hollywood status.

The actress also sheds light on her personal life. She, Krasinski, and their two daughters have made Brooklyn their home since 2016, and it’s here that she has found the sense of community she craved.

Blunt’s connection to her fellow stars doesn’t end on the silver screen. She shares a warm friendship with Sienna Miller, whom she was recently seen embracing at the Met Gala. And, despite her fondness for fashion, Blunt admits that the industry can sometimes feel intimidating.

The future

Blunt’s roles have spanned from a resilient mother in A Quiet Place to a principled FBI agent in Sicario. In her upcoming project, Oppenheimer, she’s diving into the complex character of Kitty Oppenheimer, the wife of the famed physicist.

Yet, despite her hot illustrious career and fascinating roles, she’s taking a moment to step back, embracing the simplicity of being a mother and wife. It makes one wonder: Can we expect other Hollywood stars to follow suit and take similar sabbaticals?

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