6 Actors We Want to See Play Mary Poppins
With Walt Disney prepping a new Mary Poppins film, naturally the next question is: Who can fill Julie Andrews's lace-up boots? Here are six actresses who just might be worthy to carry Mary Poppins' umbrella.
Anne Hathaway
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Pro: The Oscar-winning star has the Disney cred -- "Princess Diaries" and "Alice in Wonderland." And she proved she could sing like an angel in "Les Misérables" and would make a suitably perky Poppins. And she already channeled Mary in the "SNL" skit (pictured) where she reveals that "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" is actually a disease of the liver. Con: She's not British. And there are so many "Hathahaters" out there.
Emily Blunt
Pro: The British star of "The Young Victoria" and "The Adjustment Bureau" showed off her surprisingly great vocal chops as The Baker's Wife in Disney's "Into the Woods." Con: Audiences may prefer to see her in more ass-kicking fare, like "Sicario" and "Edge of Tomorrow."
Kristen Bell
Pro: The beloved "Veronica Mars" star sang a number of hit songs in Disney's "Frozen," including "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" Also, like Hathaway, she has some previous Poppins experience on her resume, thanks to a Funny or Die sketch. Con: Not British. And some people found her meltdown over an adorable sloth annoying, apparently.
Emilia Clarke
Pro: We can see the "Mother of Dragons" as the sometimes tough nanny. She also starred in a musical version of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" on Broadway. And playing Mary Poppins would mean no annoying sex scenes! Con: After the poor showing for "Terminator: Genisys," studios might not trust her with a franchise. Or want her in movies.
Felicity Jones
Pro: We can picture the Oscar-nominated "The Theory of Everything" star in the role: As Jane Hawking, she had the right blend of determination and prim-and-proper Britishness that Mary Poppins calls for. She also has a starring role in "Star Wars: Rogue One," so that puts her in the Disney family. Con: The only singing we're aware of on her resume is serenading Stephen Hawking on his birthday.
Rebecca Ferguson
Pro: On everyone's "must-cast" list after stealing the show in "Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation." She's also had years of dance training. Con: She's actually Swedish, not British. And there is a singing Rebecca Ferguson who was on "The X-Factor," but this isn't her.
