KNOWN for her roles in various box office films, including the very recent Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt has announced her decision to take a break from acting this year. In a recent interview on iHeartPodcast’s Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi, the actress shared her reasons for stepping back from her career. She expressed the challenges of being a working mother and admitted that she hasn’t always been able to balance her responsibilities effectively.

Blunt explained that she wants to prioritise her role as a mother to her two daughters, Hazel (nine) and Violet (seven), whom she shares with her husband, actor John Krasinski. As her oldest child approaches the last year of single digits, she believes it’s crucial to be present for important moments in their lives.

She said, “I just feel there are cornerstones to their day that are so important when they’re little, and it’s, ‘Will you wake me up? Will you take me to school? Will you pick me up? Will you put me to bed?’ And I just need to be there for all of them for a good stretch. And I just felt that in my bones.”

The Sicario star also acknowledged the emotional toll that time-consuming projects can take on both herself and her children. She mentioned feeling a strong sense of guilt, which she believes may be a common experience for many working mothers, for desiring something beyond the role of being a mother.

Blunt’s decision to take a break comes shortly before the release of her latest film, Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan. In the film, she portrays Kitty Oppenheimer, the wife of J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy. Additionally, she has other projects lined up, including The Fall Guy, directed by David Leitch, in which she stars alongside Ryan Gosling, and Pain Hustlers, directed by David Yates, in which she stars alongside Chris Evans.