Salmon Fishing in The Yemen: Emily Blunt

Heralded as 'The British comedy of the Year!', this heartwarming adaptation of Paul Torday's bestselling novel Salmon Fishing In The Yemen will be yours to own from the 3rd September. 

We spoke to Emily Blunt about the film, working with director Lasse Hallström, and of course the lovely Ewan McGregor

The film is such a blend of genres; comedy, romance, fable, what was it that really attracted you to the project?

I was just in love with the idea of being in this movie that felt so original and fresh and unique. The the love story didn't feel derivative of something else. It just felt really like it had a slow burn to it in a sense of decorum that I thought was so incredibly charming and timeless. Great characters, and an original story.

It also feels quite quintessentially British, was that part of the appeal?

Very, yes. It's got that British flair to it and I think the comedy is quite self deprecating and awkward and unexpected, but I do think the story has quite a lot of scope and the idea is quite a big idea and a universal idea so I like that.

Your character, Harriet is pivotal. How would you describe her job and what she's been charged with by the Sheik?

Well she works with the Sheik and she's in charge of putting into place his ludicrous but exciting attempt to bring Salmon Fishing to the Yemen and I think she believes in him as a man, she likes how existential he is. She thinks he's a real visionary.

The hardest part is persuading Ewan McGregor's very uptight Dr Alfred to embark on this project with her, as he thinks it's outrageous and doesn't want anything to do with it. He's very old fashioned and tight-lipped and that's the real persuasion task to try and get him on board.

And once he is on board they embark on this crazy trip together and they fall in love in a really lovely way because they're like the odd couple initially. She's very baffled by him and he's very rude. But during the course of the film his character unravels. He softens and mellows and broadens his horizons.

How did you find working with Ewan?

I found him really funny. As Fred and he was doing this very posh Scottish accent, called a Morningside accent which is really imperious and a bit uptight. I remember in the rehearsal room him saying "I don't know if I should do this voice?" to which I said "You have to do it, it's so funny!" I also think it really helped him transform into his character, that and the very perfect side parting.

You said Latter Hallström was the perfect director. What did he bring to the table?

He's just a really fantastically odd guy! He's really warm, funny, quirky, and loves to work with actors so really gives you a lot of room to breathe. He's very collaborative but he brings that quirky glow to everything he does and he's got a really lovely sensibility for life, he sees life in this slightly different light so I always love what he brings to films. They always leave you feeling rather uplifted in some way.

Salmon Fishing In The Yemen is out on DVD/Blu-ray 3rd September