In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Anna Popplewell reflected on her journey from child star to young adult, her transformation in Prince Caspian, and what it was like to say farewell to Susan Pevensie. Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia first met Anna as Susan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the responsible, logical older sister who helps her siblings discover the magical land of Narnia. But by the time Prince Caspian was released, audiences saw a much different Susan—one who traded school uniforms for chain mail and a bow, fighting alongside Prince Caspian himself.
“I have a lot more action going on in this movie, which is great,” Anna told the Daily Mail, recalling her excitement at getting to take part in battle sequences and stunt work. Determined to keep up with her male co-stars, she even took extra riding lessons in secret before filming began in Prague. “When the battle scene was being choreographed, we started a body count of all the people we had ‘slain,’ and I was doing very well,” she added with a grin.
Balancing Film and Real Life
While filming Prince Caspian, Anna wasn’t just preparing for battle on screen—she was also juggling A-level revision between takes during long, hot summer shoots in the 40°C heat of the Czech Republic.
“At least I didn’t have to run up and down hills wearing a suit of armor, like the boys,” she said, reflecting on the grueling battle sequences that involved over 500 extras. Though some injuries occurred on set, she assured that they were “nothing too bad.”
Susan’s Farewell to Narnia
For fans of the book series, Prince Caspian also marked the end of Susan’s journey in Narnia. As Aslan tells her and Peter at the end of the story, they are too old to return, a plot point that echoes Lewis’s original novels.
Unlike Peter, who makes a brief appearance in The Last Battle, Susan never returns. Lewis famously described her as no longer being a “friend of Narnia”, since she had become obsessed with “nylons, lipstick, and invitations.”
Anna reacted to this line with a laugh, telling the Daily Mail: “I’m not totally ‘nylons and lipstick’ orientated like Susan.”
Her own departure from Narnia coincided with a major life change—shortly after finishing the film, she left for Oxford University to study English. “It was quite bittersweet to film Susan and Peter’s departure because it felt very true to life,” she admitted. “I think it’s sad, but also realistic for Susan at that stage in her life to go back into the real world and forget about Narnia.”
For more of Anna Popplewell’s reflections on Narnia, acting, and growing up in the spotlight, read the full interview at Daily Mail!