Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”) spoke about raising awareness on stuttering, and she encouraged people to “just listen.”
On Tuesday, June 10th, Blunt hosted the 19th annual GALA for the American Institute for Stuttering. She spoke with members of the media on the red carpet prior to the event.
Emily Blunt discusses the importance of this cause
On the significance of this stuttering cause, Blunt remarked, “This cause is so personal. I grew up with a stutter, so I am all for any event that would help kids know that they are not alone, and there is a community for them.”
“I think it’s important to identify what a stutter is, and to spread awareness,” she added.
While it was hard having a stutter growing up, Blunt acknowledged that it taught her “a lot about empathy” as well as “the importance of kindness,” especially when you are on the receiving end of something. “Having a stutter taught me a lot about it,” she admitted.
“I try to take the stigma out of struggle in general; I think struggle is quite good,” she added.
Advice for young and emerging actors (especially those who stutter)
For young and aspiring actors (who have stutters), she stated, “Listen, it was a very freeing thing for me to disappear and to play a different character.”
“It was kind of a gateway to discover that I could speak fluently, and I always encourage kids to go into the arts because there is something freeing about it,” she elaborated.
“The idea of going elsewhere and being someone else and transforming can help you remove yourself from yourself, and I think that’s important for someone who stutters,” she added.
The greatest lesson that the acting profession has taught her
Regarding the greatest lesson that the acting profession has taught her, she responded, “I don’t know if there is ever a superlative, greatest lesson.”
“I feel every year and every project I learn something else, and it takes you on a wave of learning every time. It’s hard for me to sort of categorize one thing,” she explained.
The digital age
On being a performer in the digital age, Blunt said, “There is so much about the digital age that I think is incredible such as spreading awareness for this cause, and there is so much that terrifies me in the digital world, but on nights like this, it can be amazing, especially from an accessibility standpoint.”
Blunt on her secret to a lengthy marriage
On the secret to her 15-year marriage (actor John Krasinski), she revealed, “There is no secret, truly. We really lucked out; we laugh a lot and we talk a lot.”
‘Devil Wears Prada’ sequel: Blunt is excited for the fans
While she couldn’t reveal any details about the new “Devil Wears Prada” sequel, she acknowledged that she is “excited for the fans.”
Closing thoughts about the AIS GALA event and its mission to raise awareness
“Our time tonight is to ‘just listen’,” she underscored. “These are words that take on the most poignant meaning. When you are struggling to say your name, or to order a coffee, or just participate in a conversation, or if you are stuck in a stuttering cycle, ‘just listen’ becomes a key message.”
“So, rather than have listeners say ‘just breathe,’ or ‘relax,’ or ‘slow down,’ or ‘spit it out’ or any other unhelpful thing, the world would be a far better place for stutterers if their friends, family members and colleagues would just stop and just wait and listen, because what we have to say is important, and we all have a story to tell,” Blunt concluded.
For more information on the American Institute for Stuttering, visit its official website, and Instagram page.
Please Note: This journalist was credentialed and covered both the red carpet and the actual GALA ceremony event.
Read More: The American Institute for Stuttering celebrates its 19th GALA in New York City, hosted by Emily Blunt.
