Emily Blunt studied alien abduction stories for Spielberg film role

Emily Blunt delved into real-life accounts of alleged alien encounters to prepare for her role in Steven Spielberg's upcoming sci-fi thriller, "Disclosure Day." The British actress found herself without a clear starting point for her character, meteorologist Margaret Ferchilde, who experiences a mysterious encounter with an extraterrestrial force during a live broadcast.

"I just had no starting point, nothing to base the character on, other than watching countless documentaries of people who had experiences and how real it was to them," Blunt explained to DiscussingFilm. She noted that her character's situation was so far removed from her own life that conventional acting methods were insufficient. Instead, she turned to the sincere testimonies of individuals who genuinely believe they have encountered the extraordinary.

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I just had no starting point, nothing to base the character on, other than watching countless documentaries of people who had experiences and how real it was to them.

Blunt described the role as "kaleidoscopic," admitting to feeling both intimidated by the expectations and excited by the challenge. The film tackles profound themes, prompting the cast and crew to confront significant existential questions. "Those thematic, huge questions that we had to sort of ask ourselves in the end," she said.

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Those thematic, huge questions that we had to sort of ask ourselves in the end.

"Disclosure Day" marks a reunion between Blunt and the acclaimed director Steven Spielberg. Blunt shared that information about the script was revealed gradually, with Spielberg offering only "crumbs" at a time. "You couldn't get the whole picture until you read the script," she recalled.

The film has garnered mixed reviews, though Blunt's performance has been widely praised. AP described it as a return to Spielberg's classic adventure style, while The Daily Beast highlighted Blunt's compelling performance amidst the film's criticisms. The cast also includes Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, and Wyatt Russell.

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You couldn't get the whole picture until you read the script.