A NANNY WHO’S BLUNT AND SHARP

RATHER than the original film, Emily Blunt took her cue from author P.L. Travers’s original eight books instead.

Emily, 35, says: ‘I decided not to be intimidated by Julie Andrews in the role [left] . . . no one is going to out-do her.’

Blunt found a different side to the nanny — ‘a little more acerbic and vain and weird’.

It’s a portrait the Australianborn Travers would probably have preferred, having loathed the saccharine portrayal of her creation in the first film.

Despite a rumoured offer of over €1.1million to make a cameo, Julie Andrews, 83, turned down the invitation.

Director Rob Marshall says: ‘Julie was incredibly gracious, but made it clear up-front. She said: “I really want it to be Emily’s show. I really want her to take this and run with it, because she will be brilliant.” ’