Before she played The Baker’s Wife in director Rob Marshall’s film adaptation of Into the Woods, actor Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) thought of auditioning for a musical as “hellish.”

Yet now she finds herself leading an original movie musical: the sequel to Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns, out December 19. “Thank God I got over myself and went in to audition for Rob Marshall for Into The Woods!” she tells Playbill in the video above.

Marshall empowered his star, who lends a new sound to Mary Poppins with her strong alto on the original score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

“I could have flown as Mary Poppins without the umbrella. That’s how emboldening Rob Marshall is. He makes you feel like you can do anything.”