Emily Blunt Talks Summer 'Camp' Vibe Shooting 'Oppenheimer' with Neighbor Matt Damon (Exclusive)

“Matt lives in our building, actually, so we would hang out a lot," the actress told PEOPLE of her friend and "Oppenheimer" costar

Filming her upcoming thriller was like being at summer camp for Emily Blunt.

On Monday, the actress, 40, opened up to PEOPLE about shooting Oppenheimer with Oscar winner Matt Damon — whom she also revealed is her neighbor — ahead of hosting the American Institute for Stuttering's 17th Annual Benefit Gala in New York City.

“Matt Damon and I go back years back,” said Blunt, who rocked a red lace dress and matching heels at the event. “Matt lives in our building, actually, so we would hang out a lot."

"It was like being at camp!" she added. "We were in the middle of the Mexican desert at some hotel in the middle of nowhere, and we were all together making this extraordinary film.”

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Related: Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer': Everything to Know

Oppenheimer is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography titled American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The biopic follows J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy), the scientist who famously led the Manhattan Project — a secret research effort to create an atomic bomb during World War II.

Blunt stars as the titular character's wife Kitty Oppenheimer, while Damon, 52, takes on the role of Leslie Groves, a lieutenant general and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer.

The actress continued of her on-screen husband, 47, “Me and Cillian are like thick as thieves because we worked together before [on A Quiet Place Part II] and I adore him. We have a lot of trust between us. So I spent the most time with Cillian.”

She added of the film, which also stars Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh and Josh Hartnett, "You’re gonna love it. It’s so incredible, this movie. I’m so excited.”

As for what attracted her to the role of Kitty, the actress told PEOPLE she loved the challenge that playing her posed.

“She’s such a big personality. She’s kinda lethal,” Blunt said. “She did not conform to the ‘50s housewife ideal. We love a nonconformist. And she was such a confidant for him and fiery and smart and troubled. Not an easy person. So I guess I saw her because she was a challenging person; it was a great challenge for me to take her on as a character.”

Blunt’s real-life husband, actor John Krasinski, was unable to attend the gala with his wife on Monday, with the mom of two revealing that The Office alum has had his head down working.

“He’s editing," the Devil Wears Prada star said. “He’s editing right now because he directed a film last year. So he’s in, like, a dark cave right now.”

Related: Matt Damon Challenges Cillian Murphy in Intense New Trailer for 'Oppenheimer': Watch

During her chat with PEOPLE, Blunt also opened up about her continued support of the AIS. The star previously revealed that her grandfather, uncle and cousin all had a stutter, and she noticed it in herself when she was around 6 or 7 years old.

“It’s such a moving organization,” she said. “They approach this disability with their arms open, and they’re all about self-compassion and emboldenment for people.”

“Because it’s a disability that makes people shrink and makes them go inward and shy away," Blunt continued. "So the cause is just all about freeing people’s voices. And then you do change lives because I think if people feel caged by the disability then they’re not representing who they are."

"So it keeps me coming back because they’re the most amazing, warmhearted people," she added. "They’re my people. I get them. I was them. So it’s a joy, truly."

Oppenheimer is in theaters July 21.

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