Emily Blunt makes her move

When Emily Blunt arrived on the set of The Adjustment Bureau, she was very nervous. Never before had a production unsettled her so much. Such a feeling is unusual for an actress of her calibre, but Blunt was to play a ballerina opposite Matt Damon, and the nerves stemmed from the fact she had never danced before.

Damon and Blunt play lovers whose romance turns to frustration when they have to stay apart. The 27-year-old British actress talks about her dance preparation, working with Damon, and love and attraction.

How did you get the role of Elise Sellas?

It was virtually impossible to get a meeting with [director] George Nolfi initially because he was only seeing dancers. Finally, six weeks after reading the script, I heard he was starting to talk to actresses. But when I saw him, he made it clear to me that I would require a lot of training if I were to play this role. Then I screen-tested with Matt Damon and got it!

Did you have any previous experience in dance? Who helped you?

Dancing was never really on the cards for me. I had no previous experience, so I found it very daunting. I trained with a modern dance company called Cedar Lake that is brilliant. So being treated with that tough love by a legitimate company, who didn't want an actress misrepresenting what they do, helped me a lot. Before I knew it, we were shooting all the scenes. It is an amazing experience to do something every day that you are initially horrible at, but slowly starts to come to you.

What did you learn about a dancer's lifestyle?

I learned that professional dancers live and breathe dance. That's who they are. In this ballet troupe, they are an eclectic band of people from all over the world. I was surrounded by them every day and they really helped me figure out who Elise was.

In your eyes, who is Elise?

She is a very self-assured and independent woman. She walks through life batting away any intimacy until she meets David Norris (Damon).

What does she see in him?

She is immediately intrigued. David is not fazed or intimidated by Elise. They instantly seem to have this kind of secret language. I truly believe they fall in love with each other when they first meet.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes, I do. I believe you can have an instant connection with someone you desperately don't want to let go of. I'm not sure if I would call it love at first sight, but I do believe a connection like that can happen in true life.

How does David change Elise's life?

Before they met, dancing is who she is and how she identifies herself. I don't think Elise is someone who lets people get that close to her. When David comes along, the fact that she is so drawn to him takes her by surprise. David fulfilled something in her life that was really missing.

How important is humour in their relationship?

I think it's very important and a lot of their relationship is based on a shared sense of humour. A lot of the chemistry Matt and I had was through humour. We genuinely make each other laugh, and that really translated into the scenes. You want the audience to be charmed by David and Elise as a couple.

What is Damon like to work with?

Matt is the best! He is utterly authentic and laid back. He is very funny to be around. Matt is just such cool guy.

Did you improvise with him on set?

It was very helpful that George was not too precious with his script and let us improvise. He let us play with the dialogue and stretch scenes around to see what else we could find within them. And George is open to rewriting anything instantly, which is great.

You were also surrounded by a great cast.

Yes, though Matt got to work with them more than me. They all made their characters believable.

This film marks Nolfi's debut as a director. What was he like to work with?

I knew he was a fantastic writer. It's hard to believe this is his first film as a director. His greatest quality is that he is a collaborator. And having a previous friendship already with Matt really helped because he was very open to his ideas.

The Adjustment Bureau has a unique look. How did you achieve this?

We were very lucky to have an Academy Award-winning cinematographer like John Toll as our director of photography. He gave the movie a great and very realistic look. It truly is like a love letter to New York.

Is New York also a character in the movie?

Yes, it is. I believe it was essential for it to be shot in New York. That added such a dynamic edge to the movie. There is something looming and ominous about the buildings that appear in the film that connect with the presence of the bureau.

How challenging was it to shoot through the streets of the city?

This film was exhausting for me to shoot, but I found the experience so rewarding.

What did you think of the film?

I loved it! I liked the whole question of fate versus free will, and The Adjustment Bureau wasn't dealt with by George in a very heavy way, but with simplicity. The main thing I would like to hear from people who have seen the movie is that they were really rooting for this couple to succeed.