Advice to Actor Hopefuls from Tony Nixon
To all of you young ladies who have been emailing us begging for advice on how to audition for Polly Plummer in The Magician’s Nephew, this story is for you! Tony Nixon, who played Rynelf in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, has typed a really cool blog offering advice to aspiring actors and actresses who want to be in future Narnia films.
When a film is cast it is the job of the casting director(s) to find suitable applicants to audition. Every now and then we might see a “worldwide campaign” to find the next (insert stars name here) and thousands of young hopefuls lined up around the block to get seen. But honestly I can’t remember the last time this happened. It’s not practical and is time consuming. Usually the method is this.
1) A casting brief is sent out to Actors agents (possibly worldwide, but for smaller roles usually in the country where most of the filming will take place) this brief will contain details of the role. A Character description, Age, Gender and any physical traits etc, ethnicity.
2) The Actors agents then submit Actors they represent that they think might be suitable for the role. Occasionally an Actor may hear through the grapevine of a role and ask his/her Agent to submit them for it.
3) The casting director (s) will decide who they want to see for Auditions. The director may also be involved in seeing the selection of reduced candidates. Now they may ask to see you on a show-reel (DVD) or they may ask to audition you straight away, it varies. For overseas jobs I have sent show-reels and audition tapes.
4) IF you get an audition you may get the role or you may just go through to “Call back” auditions and have to audition again.
To read Tony’s full blog, you can check it out here.
Thanks a lot for posting this. I want to play Shasta in HHB. (crossing my fingers they'll eventually make it) :))
I'd love to be Polly… but I'm Indian-American, so Polly wouldn't look so well with brown skin 🙂 …….
thanks for posting this, but I don't have an agent and i really want to get an audition. Any advice?
Great(: I was going to audition for Jill Pole but the movie isn't going to be made. So maybe try for Polly(:
That would be great! But Polly has blond hair I have red, it really wouldn't look good. 🙂
There is a little thing called dye. 🙂
Or they could probably use computer manipulation.
Now a days there's many ways to fix up little things like that.
And I thought there would be a bunch of girls complaining that they wanted to be Jill Pole..hahaha. My hope of playing a centaur has not diminished, since they were created by Aslan,right?
It's nice to hear some advice, it shows they're paying attention to interested fans. I'll be praying for whomever they choose.
I've never taken professional acting lessons, but sometimes I do wish that I could be an extra in a Narnia film.
i remember when every young lady was begging for news on how to get the role of Jill Pole. now its Polly. i dont know why, i just find it funny 🙂
i would rather play Jill Pole if i had a choice. course i have no intention to act in a movie (yet its one of those fantasy dreams i carry). i imagine that shooting the Silver Chair would be more fun and an overall bigger experience. once again, there i go voicing my opinion (and major desire!) that Silver Chair was next. *sigh* i am going to have to get over this sooner or later. i know i eventually will, but right now……
This was very helpful. I really want to be Shasta/Corin for the Horse and His Boy
Well, I want to be Shasta as well. See you at the auditions!
Do you think Polly could be a bruntette? I'm 19, but I'm small, and am quite often mistaken for 13 or 14…
Whoops, I meant brunette…
I want to be Shasta too!! Mind you though, there's Shasta/Cor and then there's Corin. So one of us could be Shasta and one could be Corin.
Mmmm, I'm gonna go for Aravis, if HHB is made. I actually really don't like HHB, it's one of my least favorite books, but I totally remind myself of headstrong, stubborn Aravis 🙂
Plus I fit a lot of people's discriptions of how they think she looks. 😀
See ya boys, I'm gonna b Aravis!
Haha, like the chances of that are likely 🙂
It's always good to dream, though, even the seemingly impossible is possible.
I hadn't thought of centaurs! They never talk, (at least not the women) so anybody could be one.
And I'll be Hwin's voice and we'll meet each other at the premiere. Oh, if only Caspian was in Horse and His Boy, then we could meet Ben Barnes. But hey, we'll start our own five-some. Anyone wanna be Bree?
I wasn't even thinking about getting a part in any of the films. Lots of people say I'm a good actress, but I don't want to ruin the Narnia films by being less than what Polly should be. I am blond haired, blue-eyed, but I'm, five foot seven. And Polly wasn't described as tall. In the pictures of Polly, she is wearing a blue sailor's dress and she's a little shorter than Digory. I am fourteen but many people think I'm fifteen or sixteen. I think I'll just stand back and watch what the directors will do. Anyone for that idea?
hey, Polly could always have red hair. No sin in that.
ooooh that would be fun!
I personally think Polly would be more fun than Jill Pole. Especially the scene where Polly is arguing with Digory about the bell. But Digory sure would be fun to play!!
You guys would have to look alike and that is really unlikely. But you never know. you two could be unrelated twins.
I think Polly could definitely be Brunette. Like I said to the red-haired girl, "No sin in that."
Hey what's wrong with a tall Polly, guys????
yeah, Just get a really tall Digory. And Tilda will have to wear those really tall boots. No big deal. I think it all depends on how good of an actress Peter's BFF is.
It be great if one of us got a part in a Narnia film. I promise, if i get even the most minor part, I'll tell you all on here. cross my heart.
wow thanks for this i really wanted to audition for jill pole but i love polly's character and that would be so much fun to play so hopefully i will get a chance to audition
🙂 Thanks 🙂
I would have to go with the computer manipulation, my Mom dosen't even let me use the dye that can wash out of your hair. 🙂
I will love to audition for the next Narnia movie. I don't care which character is given to me!!! I want to any creature of Narnia. I always wish to be a Faun or a Centaur!!!! pliss!!
i dont have and agent!! and i will like the role of the proffesor in MN!! i love making movies, and creating lots of things! I am studying to become a professional Director in the future, one of my biggest dreams is to make a Narnia film!!
I think I would make a great Jill or Polly. The only thing I would need is a wig . . . 🙂
i have posted some audition videos..they are for jill pole but you get the point…i mean it's the acting you want to see not the words anyways the sound isn't amazing but please watch anyways and comment
on youtube type in jill pole audition and i should come up i am ellabellabooxxx1
THANKSSS and i really love getting comments
I have red hair. I'd love to audition for The Magician's Nephew as Polly Plumber, but I think I'm too old.
13 or 14 is still too old for Polly. Diggory and Polly are decidedly preteens. The actress who plays Polly should be able to pass for 11 or younger.
You could be Aravis!
I have the perfect horse to play Bree…lol. 🙂 Although, he's not quite big enough for a war horse…
Wow,how nice!
i am 1 of the girls who want2 act aravis!!!!
i am desperate to no when the auditions are i really want the part of Digory Kirke but as i am from northumberland i have a hint of geordie in my voice so that could let me down. well i have my dreams
um, Michael, thanks, but that's okay 🙂
I want2 act aravis tarkheena*
I am a asian,but mayb i am too short…(4'9"!)
They can make anybody look like the right age, I forget how old Poly is…I will have to go look now. 🙂
HEY Archerygirlxx and Lucia:) Your on here too:)OMG!!!! That makes me happy:) Anyways I dont think I will try for polly Imma wait for Jill Pole:) She is the character I love:)
If only I could get a part…. I love acting but I don't have an agent and wouldn't have the slightest idea how to audition. Does anyone know how or where I could find out more about it? (P.S. archerygirlxx, wish I could act as well as you! Really good youtube video!)
I wanted to audition as Jill, but by the time they make that I'll be way too old. -_-
Hopefully we'll be able to email auditions to them!
I'm from a small town in rural MN (Minnesota not Magician's Nephew lol) and I love to act, but I've never had any professional acting lessons or anything. And I don't have an agent. So is it pretty much out of the question for me?
Thats just like me! I don't have an agent but I would love to be Polly.
Oh and as for the advice all I can say is try to find an agebt. That's what I'm doing.
Oh,Emilee,ur here2!
Yes,u can wait4 SC,i think they will make it or fans of narnia will b soooooo sad,u know!
Its ok guys. I know your upset about the Silver Chair not happening. But MN will be a blockbuster I have almost no doubt! It'll be great movie! And persevere aspiring actors and actresses, good things come to hard working people!!!!
Haha, same here, but I live in NJ.
I know how you feel Q.Susan of the Horn, I am almost fifteen and I get mistaken for ten or twelve a lot of the time. 🙂
Yeah, but I think I'm, like, a couple years too young, but it is possible!! 🙂
you're ellebellabooxxxx1 on utube rnt u? u said that was ur name, and i forgot until just now. lol 🙂
i watched them, im harrypotterinnarnia, remember me! hey, post some polly auditions and ill post digory ones!
what happened to ur auditioning tips video on youtube,
i want to be digory 🙂
if you go onto my utube channel, harrypotterinnarnia or erectiaisreal101, you'll see audition vids by the end of the month
See you in HHB auditions am going to be aravis ……. I hope
See you in HHB auditions am going to be aravis ……. I hope
Or maybe could pass for Jill