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  (Photo: Courtesy of CBS Films Publicity)
  Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor star in "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" in theaters March 9, 2012.

Shortly ahead of the premiere of her new movie "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," Emily Blunt has explained her brief encounter with President Obama.

The British actress met Obama in December during the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C.

"I'm from England so I didn't think I would be as excited as I apparently was [to meet Obama], so I was thinking, oh, he won't know who I am, I'll just shake his hand and be like, 'Hi, nice to meet you,' and move on," explained the actress Friday while on "The Tonight Show."

"I went to shake his hand and he turned to me, and he put his hand on top of mine and he went, 'I love you. I love what you do.' He was like, 'I've seen all of your work.' And I started to laugh hysterically in his face," Blunt continued to recall of the event.

She also recounted, "I didn't really say anything other than I think I said like, 'I appreciate that' or 'I appreciate you' or just something really awful and I couldn't stop laughing."

Blunt explained her laughing fit and "falling to pieces" was the result of surprise and nervousness. She added that First Lady Michelle Obama later hugged her, "I think out of pity because I was such a mess."

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The actress has appeared in films such as "The Devil Wears Prada" and "The Adjustment Bureau." Blunt has also lent her voice to films "Gnomeo and Juliet" as well as "The Muppets." She is married to "The Office" actor John Krasinki.

In a new movie in theaters this Friday, Blunt plays an office assistant who tried to convince a fishing expert to bring fly fishing to the desert. The film also stars Ewan McGregor and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Later this year, 29-year-old Blunt will appear in the film "The Five-Year Engagement" alongside Jason Segel.