Finding the right kids for a movie is basically a nightmare for casting directors. It’s hard. You’re looking for someone who doesn't just look the part but can actually carry the emotional weight of a massive franchise without being "stagey." When Andrew Adamson set out to find the lion the witch and the wardrobe film cast, he wasn’t just looking for actors; he was looking for a family. He found them in Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, and Anna Popplewell.
It has been roughly two decades since we first saw those four kids tumble out of a piece of furniture and into a snowy woods. Honestly, looking back, the alchemy of that group is what saved the movie from being just another CGI-heavy fantasy flop. Most people forget how high the stakes were. Disney was trying to find their Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Without the right Pevensies, the whole thing would have crumbled.
The Pevensies: From Schoolchildren to Royalty
William Moseley was the oldest. He played Peter. At the time, he was 18, which is actually a bit older than the character in C.S. Lewis’s books, but it worked. He had that "burden of responsibility" look down. Before he landed the role, he’d actually been rejected for a part in Harry Potter. Funny how things work out. He spent years after Narnia playing Prince Liam in The Royals, basically sticking to the "handsome authority figure" archetype that served him so well in Narnia.
Then there’s Anna Popplewell. She played Susan, the "gentle" one who was actually more of a practical realist. Anna was already an experienced actress compared to the others, having appeared in Girl with a Pearl Earring. After she left Narnia, she didn't just fade away; she went to Oxford University to study English Literature. You’ve probably seen her more recently in the Reign series or the horror hit The Nun II. She’s got this incredible range that people often overlook because Susan was written as the "sensible" sister.
Skandar Keynes, who played Edmund, is the real outlier here. He was the kid everyone loved to hate in the first movie because he traded his family for Turkish Delight. Skandar’s performance was arguably the most complex because Edmund had the biggest character arc. But here is the wild part: Skandar quit acting entirely. He didn't want the spotlight. He ended up going into politics and worked as a parliamentary adviser in the UK. Talk about a pivot.
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And, of course, Georgie Henley. She was Lucy. She was the heart of the film. When she first walked onto the set of the snowy lamp-post, her reaction was 100% real. Andrew Adamson didn't show her the set beforehand; he blindfolded her and let the cameras roll. That wide-eyed wonder? That wasn't acting. That was a little girl seeing a magical world for the first time.
The Villains and the Voice: More Than Just CGI
While the kids were the focus, the supporting the lion the witch and the wardrobe film cast featured some heavy hitters that gave the movie its prestige.
Tilda Swinton as Jadis, the White Witch. Seriously, who else could have done it? She looked like a slab of moving marble. Swinton insisted on not having a typical "pointy hat" witch look. She wanted something more alien, more cold. She barely blinked on camera. It made her terrifying.
Then you have James McAvoy. Before he was Professor X or the guy in Split, he was Mr. Tumnus. It’s easy to forget that was him under the ears and the scarf. He brought a sort of twitchy, nervous energy to the faun that made the friendship with Lucy feel genuine rather than creepy.
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The Voice of the King
Liam Neeson provided the voice for Aslan. Originally, the production had Brian Cox in mind, but the "weight" of the voice wasn't quite hitting the right notes. Neeson brought a paternal, gravelly warmth. It's funny because you never see him, but you can’t imagine Aslan sounding like anyone else. It’s that Schindler’s List gravitas mixed with a lion’s purr.
Why This Specific Cast Worked
A lot of fantasy movies fail because the actors look like they’re standing in front of a green screen. They look bored. This cast didn't. They spent months in New Zealand, often in uncomfortable conditions, and they bonded.
- Realism over Polish: The kids weren't "Hollywood" kids. They had messy hair, British accents that hadn't been softened for American ears, and they made mistakes.
- The Chemistry: You can't fake the sibling bickering between Peter and Edmund. It felt lived-in.
- Physicality: Most of the cast did their own stunts where possible. Moseley, in particular, spent months training with swords to make the final battle look somewhat believable for a teenager.
Beyond the Wardrobe: The Legacy of the Performers
Looking at the the lion the witch and the wardrobe film cast today, it's a bit of a mixed bag of paths. You have some who stayed in the industry and became massive stars (McAvoy, Swinton), some who stayed as reliable working actors (Moseley, Popplewell, Henley), and those who walked away (Keynes).
There’s a common misconception that child stars always crash and burn. This group proved the opposite. Maybe it was the New Zealand filming location being so far from the paparazzi, or maybe it was the influence of the veteran actors on set. Whatever it was, they stayed grounded. Georgie Henley has even moved into directing and writing, proving she was always more than just the "cute kid" in the fur coat.
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Finding the Narnia Vibe Today
If you’re looking to dive back into the world of Narnia or track the careers of these actors, start with their indie work.
- Watch Georgie Henley in The Spanish Princess: It shows how she’s transitioned into complex historical roles.
- Check out Anna Popplewell in Reign: If you want to see "Susan" with a lot more political agency and grit.
- James McAvoy's early work: Go back and watch The Last King of Scotland, which came out around the same time. The contrast between a nervous faun and a doctor in Uganda is wild.
- The Netflix Reboot: Keep an eye on the news regarding Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia adaptation. It will be fascinating to see how a new casting director tries to fill the shoes of the 2005 group.
The 2005 film remains a benchmark for how to cast a fantasy epic. It wasn't about the biggest names—though they had some—it was about finding the right faces to represent the themes of innocence, betrayal, and redemption. Those four kids became the definitive versions of those characters for an entire generation. They weren't just actors in a movie; for a lot of us, they were the Pevensies.
If you want to understand the impact of the film, watch the "reunion" clips often found on social media. The way they still talk about each other like siblings tells you everything you need to know. That wasn't just a job for them. It was a childhood spent in a wardrobe, and that's exactly why we're still talking about them decades later.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
- Identify First Pressings: If you are a collector, look for the 2005 "Special Two-Disc Collector's Edition" DVD. It contains the most extensive interviews with the casting directors and behind-the-scenes footage of the kids' auditions.
- Follow Official Channels: For updates on the original cast's current projects, follow the "NarniaWeb" community. They are the gold standard for tracking what the Pevensie actors are doing now without the gossip-rag fluff.
- The Original Source: Compare the film performances to the BBC 1988 miniseries. It helps you appreciate how much physical acting the 2005 cast did compared to the more theatrical, "proper" style of the late 80s.