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6 Actors We Want to See Play Mary Poppins

Sharon Knolle
September 15, 2015 - 1 min read

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.

Sharon Knolle
Article by Sharon Knolle
Freelance Writer

Sharon has been writing for Moviefone since 2009 and has also written for IMDB, USA Today, TV Guide and Forces of Geek.

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