The Characters Of Prince Caspian-Old And New

"It's a wonderfully nostalgic story," adds Adamson. "Basically, the children have come back to a place that they've longed to be, the place they ruled for 15 years. Everything has changed. Cair Paravel is in ruins. The people they know have been driven into the wild. Aslan hasn't been seen for 1,000 years. They've got to come to terms with that, and at the same time, try to restore Narnia as they know it."

That theme intrigued the screenwriters as well. "It's an area Lewis left mostly untouched," offers screenwriter Markus. "Lewis memorably examined what it would be like for a 1940s school kid to become King of Narnia. However, he didn't much consider what it would be like for a King of Narnia to return to being a 1940s school kid."

"Their year back in London must have been awkward at best," adds writing partner McFeely. "Given their different personalities, each Pevensie handles the situation with varying levels of success. Their sudden return to Narnia pushes different buttons in each."

And, how do the experiences of the four young British actors compare to what their screen counterparts encountered in the new story?

The eldest of the foursome, 21-yearold William Moseley, says his anticipation and anxiety to get back in front of the movie cameras echoed what his character Peter endured in the time between his 15year reign of Narnia and his return to the kingdom in the new story. Just like his character, the handsome British native returned to secondary school.

"Finishing the first film was an amazing experience," he says. "Then it was all taken away. Even though I didn't react the same way Peter does, I can really understand how he feels."

Once the senior sibling returns to Narnia, "he becomes slightly arrogant," the actor notes of his character. "There's fighting within the group. Peter cannot accept Caspian. His plans are not set from his heart, but from his ego. Even when he doubts himself, he still is too stubborn to back down and accept that he might be wrong. And ultimately, he pays the highest price."

In the process, Moseley says, his character becomes a man. "When he gets back to Narnia, it's 1,300 years later and people don't know he's a high king. They just see a boy. Peter has to prove who he is to the Narnians."

"When we cast William as Peter, he was just 15 and had never done anything like this before," Adamson notes. "William's transformation was not dissimilar to that of his character, Peter, in the story, from this 17-year-old boy into a young man. I don't think he'd even been on a movie set before. He was just this really great kid you wanted to be your big brother. And now, William has turned out to be a handsome and capable young man."

Adds co-star Anna Popplewell, "Although William is 21, he's playing a 16- or 17-year-old. But he's an adult now. I had my first audition with him when I was 13. And we really have sort of grown up together. Everyone has grown up a little bit, and changed a little bit," she observes.

However, Popplewell did notice how the character of Susan had changed when she read through the script. "Susan gets to be involved in a bit more action this time," the actress enthuses. "I loved doing the fighting scenes. I loved being in the raid and the battle and getting my teeth into some of the stunts. I didn't get to do much of that in the first movie."

The film marks the end of Narnia's road for the eldest Pevensies, Susan and Peter. Popplewell admits, "I feel incredibly lucky to have had this experience, a fantastic time. And I'd so much rather have been here than not been here. But, at the same time, it's really sad that I won't be coming back."

After finishing "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," Popplewell concentrated on her secondary school studies and landed a coveted spot at Oxford's Magdalen College, the same school where author C.S. Lewis served a three-decade tenure from 1925-54, although she did not know of Lewis' longtime connection to the college until she read a biography of the famed author.

Co-star Georgie Henley has grown into a bright and studious 12-year-old who has written two of her own stories, The Snow Stag and A Pillar of Secrets.

About Lewis' imaginary world, its story and its characters, Henley says, "They're just brilliant because of the way C.S. Lewis wrote them. He didn't put too much description in, so Narnia is almost our complete imagination. We can interpret it however we like. I think that most people have their own interpretation of these books and these characters."

Henley acknowledges two changes in her character in the second film. "In the last film, I was sweet little Lucy, and now I'm a bit more 'actiony,' which was quite

fun," she says, adding that she spent time learning to ride a horse and wield a dagger for her role. "Also, Lucy stands up for what she believes in more than in the last film-her faith in Aslan. She's braver and she has her own view about what she thinks is right. She sees Aslan before her siblings do, which I think shows Lucy's trust in Aslan more than the others."

Producer Mark Johnson describes Lucy Pevensie's dilemma as a fundamental question of faith. "She's asking, 'Who am I? What is the right thing to do?' Her conscience dictated a lot of what she did on the last film. In this one, it's put to some pretty severe tests."

Skandar Keynes, who plays Edmund, was 12 when he started shooting the first movie. By the end of PRINCE CASPIAN, he had turned 16. Despite his being five years younger than his co-star Moseley, Keynes sees his character as taking the role of the older brother in his relationship with the elder sibling Peter this time out.

"Edmund is always looking out for Peter," says the young actor. "He always helps him, but never gets the credit he deserves and that gets to him a bit. It's one of the recurring themes- how Edmund's always helping Peter out. You know, there was even a day on the call sheet where the scene description was 'Edmund saves the day.' I didn't let anyone forget it. I walked around with a call sheet in my hands all day saying, 'Edmund saves the day.' That was really cool."

Co-star Moseley believes moviegoers will see the Pevensies in a new light in PRINCE CASPIAN. "Peter and Susan especially. These two had challenges in the first film, but nothing on this level. I think audiences will be surprised and engaged by both the physical battles and the emotional battles endured by our characters."

"They've all grown up really well," director Adamson says, sounding like a proud parent of the young actors portraying the Pevensie clan. "A large reason for me to do this again was working with the same children. There is this wonderful relationship between the kids, how they became a family and how they let us become a part of that family. There's change in very positive ways in growing up, but I'd like to say the movie didn't change who they are, which I'm really happy about."

Movie search