The Real Reason Julie Andrews Turned Down ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ Cameo

Original Mary Poppins star Julie Andrews graciously declined to return for 54-years-later sequel Mary Poppins Returns because she didn’t want to detract from Emily Blunt, who takes over the role of the magical nanny.

“She immediately said no,” director Rob Marshall told Variety. “She said, ‘This is Emily’s show and I want her to run with this. She should run with this. This is hers. I don’t want to be on top of that.’”

Marshall said the 83-year-old Andrews was never pitched a specific role, but sources told Variety Andrews was considered to play the balloon lady before that role went to Angela Lansbury.

Blunt, speaking to Variety in its print magazine, said Andrews was “very hands-off with the whole thing.”

“There was discussion about, you know, that maybe she would come and do a bit in the movie and she was so generous actually,” Blunt explained.

“She said to Rob, ‘Do you know what this is? This is Emily’s version of her and I don’t want it to be that she’s playing Mary Poppins the whole way through but then I come in and there’s like ‘oh, but there’s the real Mary Poppins, you know?’”

Producer Marc Platt (La La Land), however, insisted Andrews “wasn’t supposed to be in it at all” when speaking to Variety at the film’s red carpet premiere in Los Angeles Thursday.

“But she’s a friend of Rob’s and a friend of ours and a big fan of Emily Blunt and has been lovely since day one about how this is Emily’s turn and how happy she is for her… and it’s Emily’s turn,” Platt said.

“It’s a different story and a different time. There will only be one Julie Andrews and after people see this film they’ll be able to say with equal joy that there’s only one Emily Blunt.”

Blunt is joined by series newcomers Lin-Manuel Miranda, who plays lamplighter Jack, and Meryl Streep, who plays oddball cousin Topsy, as well as returning Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke, who played Cockney chimney sweep Bert in the original Walt Disney-produced film. Here the 92-year-old actor plays Mr. Dawes Jr., son of Mr. Dawes Sr., who Van Dyke also played in the original film in a duel role.

Mary Poppins Returns to theaters December 19.