Emily Blunt says it was "scary" being offered the part of Mary Poppins.

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt

The 35-year-old actress has taken on the role of the magical nanny in Disney's upcoming 'Mary Poppins Returns', but Blunt readily admits she was anxious about the prospect of replacing Dame Julie Andrews who brought the character to life in the beloved 1964 musical movie 'Mary Poppins'.

Appearing on 'The Graham Norton Show', she said: "When I was offered the role It felt quite terrifying to take on such an iconic role and one played by the iconic Julie Andrews. It felt thrilling and scary at the same time and such a big thing to take on but I've done my own version."

Blunt can currently be seen on the big screen alongside her husband John Krasinski in his directorial debut, horror film 'A Quiet Place'.

And the London-born beauty - who has daughters Hazel, four, and 21-month-old Violet with Krasinski - admitted that she initially rejected the chance to work with her man, before changing her mind.

She said: "I actually didn't want to do it to begin with. I'd just had our second baby and I'd done Mary Poppins so was in a state of joy.

"But when I read the script, I really wanted to do it. John had already approached another actress - a good friend of mine - so I told him he had to ring her and sack her! Luckily we are still friends!"

In fact, Blunt revealed she's not really a fan of the horror genre.

But the actress - who stars as Evelyn Abbott, a pregnant mother, in the film - described the movie as a "love letter" to her children because of the plot.

She said: "I'm actually a bit of a scaredy-cat, but doing this film was phenomenal. It is actually a love letter to my kids - it shows the extremes you would go to for your children."