It’s not easy being Edmund in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” Three of the four Pevensie siblings are brave, heroic and all-around noble in C.S. Lewis’ classic Narnia series. But Edmund causes most of the problems by taking the side of the evil White Witch.
And, ultimately, he makes the biggest change when he repents.
We wanted to know how 14-year-old Skandar Keynes (pronounced CANES) feels about playing Edmund in the film, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” But we figured the best person to ask the questions would be someone who’s tackled the part, too.
Eric Kielczewski (pronounced kill-CHESS-key), 16, of Grand Prairie, Texas, played Edmund at Creative Arts Theatre & School in Arlington, Texas, in April. Skandar called us from his home in London to answer Eric’s e-mailed questions.
First, however, we had to know how he felt when he got the role:
“I was on the bus going to school, and it was raining. They said they would call me on Thursday, and it was Friday, so I was down, not feeling too great. My phone rang, and they said, ‘You’ve got the part!’ They were yelling at me on the bus, ‘Turn off your phone, boy!’ so I said, ‘Thanks! Bye!’ I was cheering inside, though.”
Eric: What was the hardest part of developing the character of Edmund? For me it was making the live audience believe I had changed from evil to good (that and sustaining a British dialect).
Skandar Keynes: The emotional scenes were hard. I don’t usually cry, and that was a challenging thing to do. But once I had done it, it was really rewarding. It is a great feeling doing something that challenges you.
Eric: How did you film scenes with Aslan (the lion) since he was CGI (computer-generated imagery)?
Skandar Keynes: I only had one scene with Aslan where I’m nodding at him. I was really nodding at a rock. In scenes with the other kids, Andrew (Andrew Adamson, the director) and his assistants would act out Aslan’s lines dressed up in green suits so they could be edited out.
Eric: Did you sometimes feel guilty playing such a rotten kid? I wonder if people on the street will treat you as if you’re a spoiled child now that the movie has been released.
Skandar Keynes: I hope not. I think it’s fun to play the evil character. Besides, he gets redeemed.
Eric: They say actors are cast because the director sees a part of them in the character. How are you like Edmund?
Skandar Keynes: I could not be denied my mischievous fun on set. Every day I would sneak up behind our producer and stab him in the stomach. He would jump up and chase me yelling, “Skandar!” It was so funny. Also, I was brought in at the last minute. The others had known each other for a year and a half. I was on edge, I was nervous. That helped me with the character.
Eric: Did everyone in the cast get along, especially the kids who played the four siblings?
Skandar Keynes: We had great fun. I remember Will (William Moseley plays Edmund’s older brother, Peter) saying if one hadn’t fit in with the group it would have been awful.
Eric: How long did it take to shoot the film?
Skandar Keynes: Six months. We shot it while I was 12, and I turned 13 halfway through the shoot. I grew 6½ inches. They had to keep re-doing and re-doing my armor.
Eric: How did your friends at school handle you being in the film?
Skandar Keynes: I’ve got one friend that’s very excited, and every time we go anywhere and see this massive billboard of me, he’ll say, “Skandar, look, there you are!” It’s a blessing and a curse. I’m thinking of going to school at 2 in the morning so no one notices me.
Eric: What advice would you give young actors like myself on “making it” to the big screen?
Skandar Keynes: Stay with it. I’ve been up for loads of auditions when I didn’t get the part. Relax, calm down and be yourself. If you don’t get a part, it’s not the end of the world. Even after I came back, I went up for six auditions and everyone decided I didn’t look right for the films. There’s a lot of rejection, so be cool with it.