It is 2005. You are sitting in a dark theater, and the sound of a train whistle screams through the speakers. A young boy named Edmund Pevensie is running back into a house under fire to save a photo of his father. That moment—that tiny, frantic choice—tells you everything you need to know about the characters of Narnia movie adaptations. They weren't just icons from C.S. Lewis’s books. They were messy, traumatized, and incredibly human children dropped into a world of talking beasts.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe didn’t just succeed because of the CGI or the sweeping landscapes of New Zealand. It worked because the casting was lightning in a bottle. We saw ourselves in them. Whether it was Peter’s crushing weight of responsibility or Lucy’s pure, unadulterated wonder, these characters felt like real people you might meet in a 1940s boarding school.
The Pevensies: More Than Just Four Siblings
Most people think of the Pevensies as a unit. They aren't. They are four distinct responses to displacement and war.
Lucy Pevensie, played by Georgie Henley, is the heartbeat of the entire franchise. Honestly, her reaction to seeing Mr. Tumnus for the first time wasn't even acting; director Andrew Adamson kept her blindfolded until the cameras rolled so her gasp would be genuine. That’s why she feels so authentic. Lucy represents the "faith" element of the story, but she’s also stubborn. When she tells her siblings about the wardrobe and they don't believe her, the hurt on her face is visceral. She isn't a saint. She's a little girl who hates being called a liar.
Then you have Edmund. Skandar Keynes brought a level of snark to the screen that made Edmund the most relatable character for anyone who has ever felt like the "black sheep." He’s spiteful, sure. But look at his motivation. He’s a kid who wants to be seen as an adult. The White Witch doesn’t just tempt him with Turkish Delight; she tempts him with the promise of power over his older brother. It’s a psychological masterclass in sibling rivalry.
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Peter and Susan: The Burden of Growing Up
William Moseley’s Peter is a boy trying desperately to be a man. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, he’s terrified. You can see it in his hands when he holds the sword Rhindon. He doesn't want to lead an army. He wants to go home. By the time we get to Prince Caspian, that responsibility has curdled into arrogance. It’s a bold choice for a "hero" character, showing how the characters of Narnia movie arcs actually deal with the trauma of returning to a world where they are no longer kings and queens.
Susan Pevensie, portrayed by Anna Popplewell, is often the most misunderstood. Fans of the books often debate her "ending," but in the movies, she’s the pragmatist. She’s the one who says, "Maybe we should just leave." She represents the part of us that tries to rationalize the impossible. She’s the archer who hits her mark but hates the necessity of the hunt.
Tilda Swinton and the Chill of the White Witch
Jadis isn't a cartoon villain. Tilda Swinton played the White Witch with a terrifying, quiet stillness. She didn't scream. She whispered.
The brilliance of the movie’s portrayal of Jadis lies in her lack of warmth—literally. Swinton insisted that her costume appear to be growing out of her body, transitioning from heavy furs to ice-like lace as her power waned. She is a predator. When you watch her interact with Edmund, it’s like watching a snake charm a bird. It’s uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be.
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The Magic of the Voice Cast and Practical Effects
Let’s talk about Aslan. Liam Neeson’s voice carries a weight that few actors can mimic. It’s gravelly but warm. If the voice had been too booming, he would have felt distant. Instead, he sounds like a tired father who also happens to be a deity.
Then there are the creatures. Mr. Tumnus, played by James McAvoy, was a revelation. The makeup took hours, but McAvoy’s performance through the prosthetics is what makes the opening of the first film so magical. His twitching nose and nervous bleating created a bridge between our world and Lewis’s imagination.
- The Beavers: Ray Winstone and Dawn French provided much-needed levity. They grounded the high-fantasy stakes with domestic bickering.
- Reepicheep: In Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, this mouse (voiced by Eddie Izzard and later Simon Pegg) became a fan favorite. He isn't a joke character. He is a knight who takes his honor more seriously than any man.
- Caspian: Ben Barnes had the impossible task of playing a prince who is essentially a refugee in his own kingdom. His chemistry with the Pevensies—particularly the tension with Peter—drove the sequel's emotional stakes.
Why These Characters Diverge from the Books
C.S. Lewis didn't write a lot of internal monologue for his characters. He was a storyteller of themes. The movies had to invent personality. In the book Prince Caspian, Peter and Caspian get along fine. In the movie, they clash constantly.
Is that "accurate"? Maybe not to the text, but it’s accurate to human nature. You can’t put two "high kings" in a room and expect them not to fight for the remote, or in this case, the battle plan. This friction makes the characters of Narnia movie versions feel more three-dimensional than their literary counterparts.
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The Longevity of Narnia’s Ensemble
The reason we are still talking about these performances two decades later is that they didn't feel like "fantasy" acting. There was no "thee" or "thou." It was gritty. It was dirty. When the kids fall through the wardrobe, they are wearing heavy wool coats that get soaked in the snow. They get tired. They get cranky.
Liam Neeson once remarked in an interview that the story works because it’s about the loss of innocence. That is the core of every character in this series. They enter Narnia as children and leave as adults—only to be forced back into children’s bodies. That is a heavy concept for a "kids' movie," and the actors carried it perfectly.
Surprising Facts About the Narnia Cast
- Skandar Keynes (Edmund) actually grew six inches during the filming of the first movie, requiring his armor to be constantly resized.
- Tilda Swinton refused to let the children see her in full costume until they were on set to ensure their reactions of fear were real.
- Warwick Davis, who played Nikabrik, is a Narnia veteran—he played Reepicheep in the 1989 BBC version.
How to Re-watch the Series Today
If you’re diving back into the world of Narnia, don't just look at the lions and the battles. Watch the Pevensies' eyes. Look at how Peter looks at Susan when they realize they have to go back to England. Look at the way Eustace Scrubb (played by a brilliant Will Poulter in Dawn Treader) slowly shifts his body language from a hunched, miserable brat to a confident young man.
To get the most out of the character arcs, follow this sequence:
- Watch The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe focusing specifically on Edmund’s redemption.
- Watch Prince Caspian through the lens of Peter’s ego and its eventual bruising.
- Watch The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to see how Lucy struggles with her own beauty and worth compared to Susan.
These aren't just fantasy characters. They are case studies in growing up under extraordinary circumstances. The characters of Narnia movie adaptations remain the gold standard for how to translate "unfilmable" literary figures into living, breathing people who stay with you long after the credits roll.
Actionable Steps for Narnia Fans
- Visit the Filming Locations: If you’re ever in New Zealand, Cathedral Cove is where the Pevensies first "arrived" in Prince Caspian. Seeing it in person puts the scale of the characters' journey into perspective.
- Read the Letters: Look for The Letters of C.S. Lewis to Children. It provides massive context on how Lewis viewed the Pevensies and what he wanted them to represent.
- Compare the Adaptations: Watch the 1980s BBC versions side-by-side with the 2000s films. The difference in character interpretation—especially regarding the White Witch—is a fascinating look at how acting styles have evolved.
Narnia isn't just a place in a wardrobe. It’s a reflection of the people who go there. Every time you watch, you might find a bit of yourself in the brave Lucy, the flawed Edmund, or the weary Peter. That’s the real magic.