Emily Blunt talks ‘trepidation’ before taking Mary Poppins role

Mary Poppins. Julie Andrews left big English nanny shoes to fill. Now comes Emily Blunt.

Blunt: “No reluctance, but I had a little trepidation. Plus excitement because she’s such a delicious character.

“I tried to allow for that gasping reaction when I said I’m going to play Mary Poppins. I pretended it was some sort of white noise. I love the idea of the great unknown, flip-flopping between wildly different projects and roles.

Anyhow, what else can I do but approach her as I would any other character?

“And there were lucky charms from the original. Her old song-and- dance man who turns 93 tomorrow — the Dick Van Dyke sequence was unreal. Just being around him was pretty unparalleled.”

With or without anyone raining on her umbrella, she hits screens in “Mary Poppins Returns” on Dec. 19.

Bits & pieces

Kirk Douglas’ 102nd birthday (his wife’s 99) was celebrated with lunch. Same crowd — moviemakers like Spielberg and Ron Meyer — attend each year. Also there was Michael and Michael’s now clean and clear son Cameron . . . As reported, the late Tony Lip, played by Viggo Mortensen in “Green Book,” was once a captain at the Copacabana. The club’s then-p.r. guy Sy Presten says Tony also served as boss Jules Podell’s personal bodyguard/chauffeur. He drove Podell home nightly. Who might drive the film’s stars Mortensen and Mahershala Ali to the Oscars for their golden statues.

Sitting down with Spike

Spike Lee. Two rings on one hand. Jean jacket with a white and blue — no red — flag on the back and “Defend Brooklyn” on each shoulder.

His “BlackKklansman’s” been viewed at Cannes, in previews, homes, premieres, festivals, screenings, parties, magazine covers, and was nominated for four Golden Globes.

Monday, he told me: “Inspiration’s from everywhere. This idea began at the Martha’s Vineyard house I’ve had 20 years. In our final stages of production, I added a coda. The August 2017 racial siege in Charlottesville, Va.

“A real tough scene dealt with Heather, a protester murdered in the riot. The terrorist who did it got life in prison.

“Hardest thing I ever had to handle was to call her mother, Susan Bro, and offer condolence. Nothing I could do about the killing of her daughter. She knew who I was. She’d seen my movies. But I needed her permission to include her daughter’s image in the film. I asked if I could. I was not going to include it without her permission.”

“Not a long call. No ‘Hi, how you doin’?. I wanted to be brief. I tried being as honest, simple and humble as possible. This lady lost her daughter. She was solemn. But she gave me her blessing.”

This “storyteller into my fourth decade as a filmmaker” has two nominations and an honorary award, but he hasn’t yet really gotten his Oscar.

Bard’s woes are ‘True’

Coming is Kenneth Branagh, Dame Judi Dench, Ian McKellen’s film “All Is True.” Set in 1613, this is Shakespeare back to Stratford after his Globe Theatre burns down. It’s his troubled past, neglected family, only son’s death, relationships struggle, failure as husband and father and — besides his gardening hobby — it’s a to-be-or-not-to-be devastated in the face of disaster.

Problem is nobody’s around to offer any firsthand gossip. What was Willy like? Like in person? Like a maybe pal?

Yuletide is upon us. Watch. Soon a Manhattan cabbie will wrap tinsel around his middle finger.

Only in New York, kids, only in New York.

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