Why playing an alcoholic was such an important role for Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt has played some kick-ass roles in her time, but she believes her role in The Girl On The Train is very different to the ones she is usually offered.

She says her role as Rachel in her latest film is out of the ordinary because the character doesn't play to gender stereotypes.

"The characters are really cool and it is a very unusual thing to have your female protagonist be a blackout drunk," she told Nick Grimshaw when she and The Girl On The Train co-star Luke Evans joined Nick Grimshaw on the Radio 1 Breakfast show.

"You've never seen that before. I've read so many scripts where the female characters are held in a feminine ideal and they have to be pretty and likeable.

"As my husband so kindly said when he said when he saw it, 'My god, you look like a ghoul'."

Emily went to war alongside Tom Cruise in Edge Of Tomorrow and dealt with drug cartels in Sicaro, but feels this role sees her looking her absolute worst.

"It took two hours to make me look that rubbish," she joked. "They painted on some bags and some rosacea."

(Warning: Third party videos may contain adverts)

Emily will be seen next in the remake of Mary Poppins and her career is going from strength to strength. But as so often happens, she admits fame has definitely gone to her head.

"I had a moment where I was picking up my dog's poop the other day," she admitted.

"The thought came into my head where I heard myself say to myself: 'I really shouldn't be doing this'"

For more information on alcohol issues, visit the Radio 1 advice pages.