Emily Blunt has revealed that she originally planned to work for the United Nations as a Spanish translator, not as a Hollywood actress.
The Oppenheimer star shared her initial career ambition during a BBC Radio 2 interview.
From UN Dreams to Hollywood
Blunt explained that her mother, an exceptional linguist, inspired her interest in languages. She intended to study Spanish and spend time in South America.
However, a drama teacher encouraged her to perform in school productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to help overcome a severe childhood stutter.
After a school performance, a talent agent in the audience approached her and asked if she had ever considered a professional acting career.
"I hadn't really thought about it as a career," Blunt said.
Although she never became a professional translator, Blunt has used language skills in film roles requiring Russian, Korean, and Mandarin dialogue.
She also helped create a fictional alien language for Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day.
Blunt has appeared in over 45 films and accumulated an estimated net worth of $80 million.
Her intended translation profession is currently among occupations experiencing significant shifts due to artificial intelligence, according to recent Microsoft research.
