Anne Hathaway has been named the bookmakers’ favourite to take the lead role in the upcoming Mary Poppins remake. The Les Miserables star has been given 6/4 odds by Irish betting agency BoyleSports to play Mary, beating competition from a number of other Hollywood stars.
Other actresses tipped for the role include Emily Blunt, who has previously co-starred with Anne in The Devil Wears Prada, and Amy Adams, who proved her vocal prowess in Disney’s Enchanted.
Anne Hathaway is the favourite to play Mary Poppins
The new film will be set 20 years after Disney’s original Mary Poppins, and will draw inspiration from all of P.L Travers eight book series, with Into the Woods director Rob Marshall already on board.
Anne could well prove a fitting choice for the role; she has already performed in a British accent in One Day, and also played Mary Poppins in a skit on Saturday Night Live.
The 32-year-old could also have the backing from her former The Princess Diaries co-star and the original Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews. The legendary actress previously described Anne as “a sweet girl, wonderful actress and singer,” during an interview on The Talk in 2013.
Anne has previously worked with the original Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews
Anne has so far stayed quiet about the rumours, but it could be welcome news to the actress, who recently admitted that she has lost out on a lot of roles to younger actresses now she is in her thirties.
Speaking to Glamour magazine, the Oscar-winner confided: “I hate to admit it, but it’s true – there are fewer roles and the competition is just as fierce as ever. I look around at my peers and I’m so blown away by their talent and their beauty and their cool style, as well as their ability to be an actress and be a movie star and be good at it.
“I mean they’re so good and we’re all trying to get the same parts.”
