This was reported by espreso.tv

British actress Emily Blunt tried out for the role of King Henry II's young mistress in the film The Lion in Winter, directed by russian Andrei Konchalovsky, in 2003. The actress, known for her roles in Oppenheimer, Stuntman, A Quiet Place, The Girl on the Train, and others, was 19 years old at the time.

The 41-year-old Oscar-nominated British actress admitted that russian Andrei Konchalovsky left her feeling like "a shell of her former self" during the auditions.

"He was very cruel at the audition and liked to confuse me. It was a very misogynistic atmosphere, and I just remember feeling like a shell of who I was before the audition", Blunt said.

She called the audition horrible, and "felt so humiliated" during it. At the same time, speaking at an event of the American Foundation for Support of Actors, Blunt admitted that she could not remember Konchalovsky's name.

"I can only say that he was vile. It's really horrible", the actress said.

She emphasized that actors must be unflappable and "take a punch", which is necessary in the profession. But it's not always possible not to be vulnerable.

"There is sometimes an element of life in the trenches in this work. It can be painful, and it can be as beautiful as it is painful. And I was ready for that. Sometimes there is an element of preparation for an attack in this work, but it was the most unpleasant moment", the actress added.

Konchalovsky eventually cast his wife Julia Vysotskaya in the role. It was a remake of the original 1968 film, starring Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn.