Talking to Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes, who star in “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” in London reminded us of our last interview with the “Harry Potter” cast.
It could be the last “Narnia” movie of the three since the next films in the franchise, should there be more, will feature other characters as main figures, as based on the last four books of CS Lewis’ series.
Just like the “Potter” actors, Ben (Caspian), Georgie (Lucy Pevensie) and Skandar (Edmund Pevensie) are ready to move on, but they say they will miss working on the films that have been part of their growing-up lives.
In the 3D “Dawn Treader,” which is directed by Michael Apted, Lucy and Edmund are transported back to the titular world with their annoying cousin, Eustace (Will Poulter), and are reunited with King Caspian and the Great Lion, Aslan, as they face magical creatures and travel to mysterious islands.
Asked if there’s a possibility that there may be more “Narnia” movies in his future, Ben quipped, “I approached the producers at the after party, after watching very carefully how many glasses of champagne they had. I made sure they had at least three before I broached the question. Caspian is a 70-year-old man, so either they’re going to have to bring Howard Berger (the series’ makeup artist) and his team and I’m going to wake up very early in the morning or they’ll get someone older.’
Flashbacks
“But, after those aforementioned glasses of champagne, they were talking about maybe doing flashbacks, because in the last chapter of ‘Dawn Treader,’ Caspian and Lilliandil are getting married. There are few potential moments where we could do flashbacks, however.”
A newcomer who was suddenly thrust into the limelight when he bagged the title role in “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” Ben said, “I had more confidence on the set this time, because we had the break in between, while the studios debated between themselves what they would do with all of our careers. I had a chance to go off and do other films and gain confidence from them as well.”
“A simple job was required of me this time since I’m not playing the title character,” Ben added. “Michael Apted asked me to perform a simpler task— just to be more authoritative, be the adult, instead of getting involved with the quartet of adolescents in the previous film. I relinquished that, and I was happy to walk on the set and have the crew know a bit of who I was. That helped me attain the air of authority to play a regal character.”
At one point in our talk, Ben mentioned that, as a boy, he idolized the late Freddie Mercury, so we asked if he had already seen “We Will Rock You,” the musical based on the songs of Queen. The actor, who’s currently starring in “Birdsong” on the West End, revealed, “I auditioned for that musical. The first two rounds went well. Then, they gave me that song, ‘Who Wants to Live Forever,’ to sing. It’s a song with very high notes—so, when I sang that in my third audition, I think the quote was, ‘You sound like a cat being strangled.’”
Desperate
He continued, “After I didn’t get the job, I actually went to work there in the theater, selling ice cream and programs for a couple of months, because I was intrigued by the musical. I was so desperate to see it, and I wanted to be the first one to see it! That was the only way I could think of doing it. I certainly could never have afforded a ticket.”
Told that he could play Freddie in the upcoming biopic about the singer (although Sacha Baron Cohen is already cast in the role), Ben said, “If I could sing that high, I’d be happy!”
Georgie, who is blossoming into a young lady, said, “I’m going to have to move on from the ‘Narnia’ franchise, because I’m not part of the next films anymore, which is a shame. But, all good things must come to an end. I would definitely like to continue acting. I also need to concentrate on school so as long as I can find balance. Then, hopefully, I’ll have a happy adolescence.
“There are some snippets of the Pevensies in some of the books as adults or young adults, so I’m not sure how it’s going to pan out,” she answered on the possibility of being cast again in the potential next installments of the franchise. “Maybe if the opportunity arose and I was approached, and the franchise does continue. Maybe I would consider coming back for a cameo.”
Most disarming smile
A young girl with attractive large eyes and the most disarming smile when we met her for the first “Narnia” movie, Georgie recalled that time: “I was very lucky, because I was always paired with James McAvoy, who was great. We had so much fun filming, so we had a lot of fun talking about making the movie. I felt sorrier for the journalists who were interviewing us than for us, because we’d go off on all these tangents, have those inside jokes, and fall asleep. They just had to deal with it—but, yeah, James was really cool to do all my interviews with. I was such a hyper 10-year-old at the time. I take my hat off to him.”
There’s life for Georgie away from the “Narnia” set: “I’ve been going to a regular school for five years now. I’d like to go to university.”
Skandar Keynes was nursing a bad cold, but he gamely went on with our interview. Of his post-“Narnia” life, Skandar shared, “I don’t have acting projects lined up right now. I’m focusing on my four-year degree in Arabic and Middle Eastern history. A lot can change in that time, and I’m not going to compromise that. I’m going to see what happens in four years’ time.” Skandar is enrolled at the University of Cambridge, no less.
“I’m half-Lebanese,” Skandar disclosed. “I’ve got a personal interest in these studies. I wasn’t brought up speaking Arabic. It was something I wanted to overcome, so I can go and live in Lebanon. We have a house there. And, academically, I find history—ancient and modern—very interesting.”
Considerations
Skandar smiled when asked if CS Lewis’ tenure as a professor at Cambridge influenced his decision to enrol there. “No,” he answered. “It was very difficult choosing a university. There were many considerations. The Lewis link wasn’t part of my thought process.”
What will he miss about his “Narnia” days? “The people,” Skandar quickly replied. “When we were in some weird places, in the middle of nowhere—or, if we were doing weird scenes, the people were always great! They’re the ones I’ll miss.”
He recounted his first encounter with Georgie. “I met her in one of the first auditions I had,” he began. “I remember, I was terrified at the whole experience. I was like a deer caught in the headlights. I remember seeing her, and she was very energetic and was bouncing off the walls. I was very intimidated by the whole thing and all the new people.
“But, it was great to get to know her and the other cast, as well. We’ve all grown together as a family. Everyone gets put in these situations, where you’re stuck together and you have to make sure that everything’s good. There were never any real arguments. Everything just worked out. We all clicked and we were very grateful for that.”
“These films have a religious undertone,” Skandar pointed out. “They have these messages. They’re not necessarily Christian messages, but universal ones. Turning the other cheek and being good to your neighbor and everything—those are universal values.”
“I’m ready to move on,” he admitted. “I’ve had a great experience. I’ve met amazing people. It was sad to say goodbye, but at the same time, I’m ready to move on, do other things and get my degree!”
