“Mary Poppins Returns” will receive the Ensemble Performance Award at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, the festival announced on Friday.
Stars Emily Blunt, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Salah and Joel Dawson are expected to accept the award at the festival, which will be hosted by Mary Hart and Entertainment Tonight. The award will be presented to the cast by the film’s director Rob Marshall.
Academy Award-winner “Argo” and Academy Award nominees “American Hustle,” “The Big Short,” and “The Social Network” are past honorees of the ensemble award.
“Mary Poppins Returns is a happy film, that re-creates the magic and adventure of the first film,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner in a statement. “Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda lead an excellent ensemble cast that also includes Colin Firth, Meryl Streep, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury and many others.”
“Mary Poppins Returns” is an original musical from director Marshall, which continues the story of the practically-perfect nanny and the Banks family. In the film, Jane (Emily Mortimer) and Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) have grown up, Michael has three children of his own, and his wife has recently passed away. Blunt stars as Mary Poppins, who returns to help the grieving Banks family move past their terrible loss and find the joy and wonder missing from their lives. Miranda plays Mary’s friend Jack, an optimistic street lamplighter who helps bring light — and life — to the streets of London.
The follow-up to the 1964 classic starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke has also been nominated for four Golden Globes and nine Critics Choice Awards.
“Mary Poppins” joins Bradley Cooper (“A Star Is Born”), Alfonso Cuaron (Roma) and Olivia Coleman (“The Favourite”) as announced honorees at this year’s Palm Springs festival.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival will run Jan. 3-14.
Evolution of Emily Blunt, From 'The Devil Wears Prada' to 'Mary Poppins Returns' (Photos)
As Emily Blunt gracefully drifts from here to there with her magical umbrella in 'Mary Poppins Returns,' let's take a look back on the actress's eclectic film career.
'My Summer of Love' (2004)
Following minor British TV gigs, the London-born actress moved to the big screen in Pawel Pawlikowski's "My Summer of Love." The award-winning drama follows Tamsin (Blunt) and her affair with another young woman.
Focus Features
'The Devil Wears Prada' (2005)
As Miranda Priestly's snarky assistant, whose name also happens to be Emily, Blunt hit the big time acting along with Anne Hathawy and Meryl Streep. Her performance led to nominations for both a best supporting actress Golden Globe and BAFTA's Rising Star award. In the same year, Blunt also started dating singer Michael Bublé.
20th Century Fox
'The Jane Austen Book Club' (2007)
This rom-com features Blunt, sporting a sleek bob, as a French teacher who uses Austen's illustrious words to cope with messy relationships and sticky situations.
Sony Pictures Classics
'Sunshine Cleaning' (2008)
Here, Blunt stars alongside Amy Adams as the workers of Sunshine Cleaning – a company that specializes in tidying up bloodied crime scenes. She also split up with Bublé after featuring on his 2007 album.
Overture Films
'The Young Victoria' (2009)
Blunt portrays the early reign of Queen Victoria in "The Young Victoria." She was nominated for the Golden Globe race for Best Actress in a drama in 2010 for the role.
Apparition
'Gulliver's Travels' (2010)
In the comedic film adaptation of Johnathan Swift's novel, Blunt plays the tiny Princess Mary of Lilliput. Outside of the fictional kingdom, Blunt married "The Office" star John Krasinski. Sorry Pam!
20th Century Fox
'Gnomeo and Juliet' (2010)
Before making it big in Hollywood, Blunt once played the leading woman in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." She returned to her roots with this... creative adaptation of the tragedy.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' (2011)
With Ewan McGregor and Kristin Scott Thomas, Blunt delivered yet another note-worthy performance in the 2011 film. She nabbed another Golden Globe nom for her role as Harriet Chetwode-Talbot, but didn't win.
CBS Films
'Looper' (2012)
The sci-fi thriller directed by Rian Johnson set the precedent of kick-ass characters Blunt would take on in years to come.
TriStar Pictures
'Edge of Tomorrow' (2014)
After giving birth to her first daughter Hazel, Blunt returned to the screen as Tom Cruise's harsh trainer in "Edge of Tomorrow." She later picked up Best Actress in an Action Movie at the 20th Critics' Choice Movie Awards.
Warner Bros. Pictures
'Into the Woods' (2014)
Blunt busted out her singing skills for the film adaptation of the Sondheim musical "Into the Woods." The film reunited her with her "Prada" co-star Meryl Streep, who plays a very different witch from the fictional fashion glossy magazine.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
'Sicario' (2015)
Blunt plays FBI agent Kate Mercer in this brutal and bluntly honest look at the war on drugs. The film is her second alongside Benicio del Toro -- the previously worked together in 2010's "Wolfman."
Lionsgate
'The Huntsman: Winter's War' (2016)
Now, Blunt's played ice-cold people before but her role in 'The Huntsman' sequel is her coldest to date. She starred as Queen Freya, the chilly counterpart to Charlize Theron's evil queen. Later in the year, she and her family welcomed in her second daughter Violet.
Universal Pictures
'A Quiet Place' (2018)
Finally on-screen as a couple, Blunt and Krasinski starred in "A Quiet Place." Krasinski's directorial debut follows the Abbott family as they must survive a post-apocalyptic world living in total silence in order to evade monsters who hunt with keen hearing.
Paramount Pictures
'Mary Poppins Returns' (2018)
Blunt steps into Julie Andrews' iconic shoes in this sequel to "Mary Poppins," also starring Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
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From a snarky editorial assistant to the Iconic magical nanny, Emily Blunt has quite the reel
As Emily Blunt gracefully drifts from here to there with her magical umbrella in 'Mary Poppins Returns,' let's take a look back on the actress's eclectic film career.