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Emily Blunt on juggling motherhood with Hollywood: 'It's a zoo in my house!'

emily blunt
Ainhoa Barcelona
Content Managing Editor
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Emily Blunt might appear to have it all, but behind her cool, composed exterior the British actress is happy to admit things are more than a little hectic!

Emily has found stratospheric success in Hollywood – her latest thriller The Girl on the Train is due for release next month – she's happily married to fellow actor John Krasinski, and she's just welcomed her second baby, Violet.

But like any other working mother, Emily, 33, has admitted that her life is one big juggle.

"Everyone had warned me that one kid is great but two's a zoo," said Emily

"To be honest I don't want to say that my job as a working mother is any harder than anyone else's who has to go to work and has two children," Emily told HELLO! Online and other media outlets at a London press conference for the film.

"I think it's just a juggle! You just sort of do it and take each day as it comes. Everyone had warned me that one kid is great but two's a zoo and it is a zoo in my house right now! I think it's probably the same for everybody. I think it's a day-by-day play for us."

The actress has two daughters with her husband John Krasinski

The Sicario star explained how being a mum has "cracked her heart open" and affected her career choices.

"In a way having children is so wonderful in that it not only cracks your heart open in a big way, so I'm sure I can access a lot more since becoming a mother as an actor, but I think truly it makes me very specific about what I choose to do, and when I choose to work," said Emily.

"I'm lucky because I think a lot of women, when they go back to work, they have to go back to support their family or because they want to go back. I have these rather fortunate chunks of time off work where I can intensively be with my children, but it's not the same with everybody."

Emily plays "black-out drunk" Rachel in The Girl on the Train

Emily was expecting her second child when she was filming The Girl on the Train, in which she plays "black-out drunk" Rachel. Filming posed some challenges for the pregnant star – mainly keeping her baby news a secret.

"I think that Luke Evans and Justin Theroux, who I have a couple of tussles with, were a bit nervous and cautious about it," said Emily. "They were very kind. But I don't think I anticipated how physical this role was. It turned out to be so very physical, playing a drunk and being so emotional. It was a job that wore me out and I'm sure my fragile state added to that."

The English Rose was pregnant with her second baby while filming

Director Tate Taylor was desperate to have a drink with her and unwind after a hard day of emotional filming.

"It was so boring!" interjected Tate, who also attended the press conference. "I'd wanted to work with Emily for so long..."

"Yeah he was like, 'I hear she's really fun...'" said Emily.

"But all she wants is an omelette! Every three minutes," said Tate.

"I was desperate for a glass of wine!" said Emily

"I did not pass on a snack! I'll tell you that much," laughed Emily. "And I sort of played my card, I was like, 'Tate I can't go for a drink because you know playing an alcoholic I really need to be focused and not drink.' I was pretending to be method! I was desperate for a glass of wine! But I couldn't..."

The Girl on the Train is out in UK cinemas on 5 October.

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