In May 2015, during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival, Emily Blunt spoke out against a rule that garnered significant attention and criticism: the requirement for women to wear high heels on the red carpet. Blunt, known for her forthcoming movie “Sicario,” expressed her disagreement with the rule and shared her preference for comfortable footwear.
Emily Blunt Criticizes Cannes High Heels Rule
At the press conference, Emily Blunt was informed of a situation where certain women were denied access to the premiere of the movie “Carol” because of Cannes’ rule stipulating that women must wear high heels on the red carpet. Blunt promptly voiced her disagreement with the requirement and advocated for a change. She stated, “I think everyone should wear flats, to be honest. We shouldn’t wear high heels anymore. That’s just my point of view. I prefer to wear Converse sneakers. That’s very disappointing.”
Denis Villeneuve, the director of “Sicario,” injected humor into the situation by joking that he, Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin would walk the stairs in high heels as a sign of protest, eliciting laughter from the audience. Later that evening, Emily Blunt did wear high-heeled sandals on the red carpet but changed into flats for the “Sicario” afterparty.
About “Sicario”
In “Sicario,” Emily Blunt portrayed an FBI agent, and director Denis Villeneuve revealed that some individuals had suggested changing her character into a male role due to concerns about having a female lead. Villeneuve explained, “People were afraid [of the screenplay] because the lead was female. The screenwriter was asked to rewrite it several times.” Fortunately, Lionsgate, the studio producing the movie, allowed the character to remain a woman.
Blunt’s character in the film is characterized as tough, but she perceives her role differently. She views her character as damaged and vulnerable, grappling with a job typically held by men. Blunt also noted the limited representation of women in the movie and commented on the challenges her character faced, saying, “I get asked a lot, ‘You play a lot of tough female roles.’ I don’t see them as tough. I found this character damaged and vulnerable. She’s struggling in the role of a female cop. It’s not safe.”
Emily Blunt’s candid remarks at Cannes shed light on the complexities and expectations faced by women in the film industry and generated discussions about comfortable footwear choices on the red carpet.