By BECI WOOD
Sun Online
Dawn French says she loved playing a beaver in The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe – despite admitting she only took on the role so she could work with Ray Winstone.
The curvy comedienne revealed she was originally a bit wary of voicing the Mrs Beaver character – however fellow Brit Ray, who had already signed up to voice Mr Beaver, convinced her to change her mind.
She said: “I loved playing a beaver.
“I took on the role because I thought I was going to be working with my friend Ray Winstone who plays Mr Beaver. However almost everything was done separately which was a shame.
“Sometimes when you do a voice for a character it is sometimes a bit of a lonely experience and can be a bit unfulfilling because you don’t have your on-screen family, camaraderie, fun in the make-up room and you can’t flirt with someone like lovely James McCavoy (Mr Tumnus).
She added: “Jennifer Saunders also convinced me to take the part. She had already worked with the director Andrew Adamson in Shrek.”
“I actually feel a bit fraudulent when talking about the film. Everyone else worked really hard whereas I just had a laugh.
“I was on my own in a small darkened room eating a lot of cake with Andrew on the other end of the phone line but I had a great time.
“I thought he might want me to put strange beaver teeth in or to try to talk like a beaver even though I don’t know what a beaver sounds like.
“I was so delighted when Andrew said he just wanted me to be myself and Ray to be himself. We had to sound like a couple of bickering married beavers.
“I don’t want to hear any more beaver jokes though. I’ve heard so many but now I am cleansed!”
The 48-year-old comic also revealed where she would like to go if she had a magical wardrobe.
“I’d like to go to Choco-World where there is lots of chocolate stuff.
“I’d also like to go to New Zealand. It is my favourite place.
“I was stroppy I didn’t get a free trip with the others during filming.
“However it didn’t stop me from going there! I went and turned up on set even though I wasn’t required!”