Sally Hawkins played Mrs Brown in the first two Paddington movies (Picture: Moviestore/Rex/Shutterstock)
Paddington in Peru marks the welcome return of Paddington Bear and the Brown family to our screens for another caper, seven years after Paddington 2 knocked fans’ socks off.
However, this time there have been a few changes – alongside new director Dougal Wilson, Paddington and co swap the streets of London for a South American adventure.
And while Hugh Bonneville is back as the risk-averse Mr Brown alongside Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin as Judy and Jonathan – and of course Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington himself – Paddington 3 also introduces Emily Mortimer as Mrs Brown.
Original actress Sally Hawkins opted to step back from the role following the first two films, which was quietly announced ahead of filming commencing in June 2023.
Talking to Bonneville ahead of Paddington in Peru’s release, he was full of praise for his new Mrs Brown, saying it wasn’t difficult at all to welcome her to the family as she ‘fitted in like a hand in a glove’.
‘Obviously we were sorry when Sally, for her own reasons, needed to pull back – she took a little bit of a break – and the first person that we thought of was Emily, and she fitted in seamlessly,’ he told Metro.
Hawkins stepped back from the role to take ‘a little bit of a break’ according to co-star, Hugh Bonneville(Picture: Warner Bros/Everett Collection)
She has been replaced by Emily Mortimer, who joins as the new Mrs Brown for their adventure in Peru (Picture: Studiocanal)
‘She’s a natural team player and has all the warmth and width that you would want from a Mrs Brown.’
When Oscar nominee Hawkins confirmed her departure, she also complimented her ‘truly wonderful’ and ‘extraordinarily special’ replacement in Mortimer.
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Explaining that it ‘felt the right time to hand the reins over to another’, the Happy-Go-Lucky star added in a statement to Variety: ‘She will embody the essence of Mary Brown and yet make it utterly her own.
‘However, I am and will always be in love with Paddington’s world. I already greatly miss my on-and-off-screen family – the experience of making the first two films has truly been some of the best and most creative times I have had in the world of film.’
‘They both gave me so much joy. I will forever hold them so very close to my heart indeed,’ she concluded.
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Despite the ringing endorsements, fans shared their disgruntlement over the change when Paddington in Peru’s first trailer arrived in June, saying it ‘wasn’t the same’ without Hawkins.
Bonneville said he wasn’t aware of any backlash, but added: ‘If [fans] have been overreacting, well it was just wonderful to have such an actress of such quality stepping into – yes – very big shoes.’
He continued: ‘Sally’s a phenomenal actor, but so …read more
Source:: Metro
