'It's like a sort of imposter that lives in your body': Emily Blunt's bold struggle with stuttering continues to inspire

When the charming and talented Emily Blunt opens up about her struggle with stuttering, the world takes notice. Not because it's a shocking revelation, but because of the profound impact her words have on understanding this often misunderstood disability. As reported by PEOPLE at the American Institute for Stuttering's 2022 Freeing Voices, Changing Lives Gala, Emily's insights are a powerful reminder that every voice matters.

"Once you are a stutterer, you will always be a stutterer"

That's how the 39-year-old actress sees it, and she's not shying away from the conversation. "In some ways" for Emily, acting became her "invitation into speaking fluently for one of the first times." Her career in Hollywood isn't a cure but a way to overcome.

"It was just a bit shocking the first time I was able to speak, you know, doing a silly voice or an accent pretending to be someone else," Blunt told PEOPLE. "People don't talk about [it] enough if it hasn't got enough exposure, and millions of people around the world struggle with it."

"If you can't express yourself, you can't be yourself"

Emily's courage to talk openly about stuttering serves as an inspiration. Her words are not only a vivid description of a personal struggle but a universal truth that resonates with many. "And there's something very poignant in freeing people of the grip of a speech impediment, because it's like a sort of imposter that lives in your body," she added.

"It's biological and it's often hereditary and it's not your fault," Blunt reassured. Stuttering is not just her struggle; her grandfather, uncle, and cousin all faced it. Emily's ability to put a face to this disability and to support the AIS has made her more than an actress - a beacon of hope for many.

Her fundraising and speaking efforts for AIS are personal, reflecting her own childhood experiences. Finding joy in losing herself in characters, Emily's stutter would diminish. Now, she's helping others find similar coping mechanisms through her work with AIS. "I think of all the causes, my work with the stuttering community is the one that pierces my heart probably most profoundly because of my own personal experience with it," she confessed.

Emily Blunt's journey isn't just about stuttering; it's about acceptance, empathy, and the realization that we all have something unique to us. It's a story of triumph over adversity, and her voice will continue to resonate with millions who are fighting their own battles.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)