Advice: Auditioning For the Role of Jill Pole
Since the release of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, we at NarniaWeb have received almost daily inquiries about auditioning for the role of Jill Pole in The Silver Chair. After the release of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, these inquiries have risen to almost unbelievable levels. We wanted to take this opportunity to give some information about the film industry and answer the questions that folks may have about how to acquire a role.
Pre-Production and Greenlighting
Before casting begins for a film, there are several steps that take place. A script is written (or at least begun), the story is pitched to the studio, and the studio then “greenlights” the film, which means that the production is formally approved and financed. After the film is greenlit, it then enters pre-production, during which the script is finalized and plans are made for the actual shooting of the film. It is during this pre-production stage that casting is done.
Casting and Auditions
The casting process for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was somewhat unique in that casting director Pippa Hall held many public auditions when searching for the four Pevensie children. These auditions were generally held at schools around the UK, with children from the drama clubs being invited to attend. This is not typical, though, and usually a casting director will work directly with agents and industry contacts to come up with a list of potential actors to fill a specific role. Several actors are given auditions and the director and producers together decide which one will best play the part. This is the way that Will Poulter was cast for the role of Eustace.
Occasionally there will be open auditions for extras at a film location shoot. When that information becomes available we always post it at NarniaWeb.
Silver Chair Status
The future of the Narnia movies depends on the box office results for each film. If The Voyage of the Dawn Treader doesn’t do well enough in theaters, it is likely that there will not be any further Narnia films. If it is successful (and no one is sure exactly what the threshold of success is in the eyes of the studio), then Walden and Fox will likely move forward and attempt to get another Narnia film greenlit.
In interviews the producers have mentioned that they are considering The Silver Chair as well as The Magician’s Nephew for the next film. This could mean that The Silver Chair would be skipped or passed over temporarily, or that both films could be made at the same time. There are any number of possibilities, but the reality is that the future of the franchise and The Silver Chair is very much in limbo right now. It also goes without saying that production for The Silver Chair has not been greenlit and is not currently looking for any actors for the simple reason that there is no production.
Advice
If you are interested in auditioning for the role of Jill Pole or any other character in a Narnia film, the best advice that we can give is to 1) get involved with a local drama group to hone your skills and 2) hire an agent who can acquire an audition for you with the casting director when the time comes. There likely won’t be any public auditions. This is simply the way that Hollywood works.
Another question that we are often asked is about what the producers are looking for. Again, since there are no producers and no production (yet), we have no idea. During the casting process for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Pippa Hall was quoted as saying that she felt that there were so many brilliant British actors that there was no need to look for someone who could “fake” a British accent. So our expectation is that the producers would probably look to the UK first to fill the role of Jill Pole.
Conclusion
To sum this all up, The Silver Chair has not yet been greenlit so there are no roles yet to be filled. If you are interested in auditioning for a role when one becomes available, we recommend that you hire an agent who can acquire an audition for you when the time comes. Good luck!
Oh, I have a lot more hope than I did months ago! It's because I've had three dreams already about being Jill pole. That's a really good sign!!!
Hehe me too
Hey I was on here replying to questions and my agent read your question and said hey.
Hey it depends on how often they check there e-mail.
Hi There juniperberry, yes I'm totally in with u there, you live in Australia, so do I. And I hope they have auditions in Australia. What part of Australia do you live in?
wow,ummm juniperberry, you and i love georgie. you guys both live in Australia!!! I'm SOOOOOOOOO happy. I'm not the only one here in OZ so thats really good. If everybody on this comment page who lives in Australia please reply to this .
heyyy JillDream yeh im aussie :P. im from victoria. where bouts r u from?
narniafan16, where did u actually read bout SC being greenlit?
victoria, melb. i answered that down below aswell ;P. urslef?
that comment above was for u JillDream but for some reason it went on narniafan16's comment 😛
does anyone think i could be jill i have shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes i am 5 foot and am from nottingham
Do you think I've got any chance of being Jill Pole if they hold auditions?
I am 16, from the UK and have shoulder-length blonde hair and green eyes. I'm about 5,7ft and have been in school and local drama productions. I don't have an agent yet though :/
narniafan16,what is your 3 dream??
Is that Secret??*
& thank u ,u always cheer me up!God blesses u!!
Oh,no,so sorry!
i thought i reply 2 narniafan16!
Well,it looks they haven't started it yet,but narniafan16 got something news!!
yeah,u r right!!ha,ha**
but i am afraid that they don't reply cuz i am Japanese…
i hope they will reply!!
yes,& there r so many different english accent in this world,u know.
i'm from Japan,&most japanese people speaks [Japanglish ]!!
but i speak *English*(not so very good though!)
北上尾is near from 大宮,right??
then,u used 高崎line.
i always use 西武池袋line or 西武新宿line.
but i have been 2 川越&新座!
my church is belongs 2 東京教区,so it is small chance…
i luv 埼玉 as well as my town!!
I am 5'4 and have dirty blond hair,blue eyes,pale skin,freckles,and I am skinny. I am looking for an agent right now and am not doing my spring sport so that I can do an acting class. I have some experience
with riding horses and can ride. I love the Narnia books because they
refere to a bigger book, the Bible! So does anybody think I would be good?
Oh and I would be able to handle my school workif I was in the movie
Hi There juniperberry, I'm from South Australia, Adelaide well around that Adelaide area in the Hills
Iv'e been through victoria quite a few times before.
Any one on this comment page from South Australia???
oh..sorry.Ok!
Hey!:)
U have so much luck to have an agent…
oh really…
I'll look!
Does anyone have some news??
Hi
Do you think I have a chance to play Jill pole?
I am 5'34 and have blond hair, blue-green eyes, I am 14 years old and I am dancing.
more later my laptop is empty..
Tahk you
Will eustace still be will poulter?
Narniafans.com
I'm nervous though if they are doing the auditions already!
Are u good @ acting Lucia?:)
I hope I am!!!!
U cheer me up too! 🙂
Are u nervous? I am!!!!
seriously everyone has the same chance especially as you don't have an agent you are still on square one with us
hair colour and stuff probably don't matter that much as it can be changed ACTING ABILITY is what counts!
that isn't really a huge issue as you would have tutor
and plus i think that is probably true for most people
oo right. yeh i wonder if they have started yet, its hard to find out any information.
oo okay Adelaide cool. i hope they do auditions in aus.
Well not necessarily some ppl cannot handle
school work that well
hahah ok:) And you can get one too, just trust in yourself:)
You have a chance:) Even if you dont get Jill there are tons of more positions you could play:)
I am in a riding club… and I am from Germany!
Taht's all.
Tank you
Guys, you don't have to worry about hair color anymore. Remember what I said up there? But it's still good if you have blonde hair or brown. (blonde is better) I'm glad my eyes look like Jill's eyes! That's actually the most important, in my opinion.
I agree archerygirlxx! I'm not giving up. And besides, Jill is around 12 in the book, so the age is perfect! 🙂
People, listen up!!! You don't have to worry about going to the uk for auditions, maybe. I just have this idea…won't they start off having an audition at your drama club for Jill then school then city then province or state then country then the world wide Jill pole audition at the UK?
You're so right! Acting skills matter, and how much you're like Jill pole.
Well I don't think it works that way..you see up on the thing they said that because there are so many excellent British actors that they won't have to look anywhere else. But Jill could have just visiting an aunt in England so she wouldn't need an English accent! The school could be a boarding school in the countryside where British children go,
and she would be visiting her aunt when the war begins and she can't go back
home so her aunt moves her to the boarding school!!!! So then American girls
could audition if that was the plot!!!!!!!:)
U r right! If u want to improve ur acting skills like I do
I suggest signing up for classes
but, much to your dismay i am sure, that is not the plot. but if you think about it they said that auditions would be held in the UK first i gues if they can't find someone good enough (or if they don't audition me) then they might come to america
So hey everyone(:
has you know I have an agent and I can speak a british accent and is planning on auditioning for the roll jill if Silver Chair gets the green light. I can help you with questions you may have.Hope I can help!:)
@lis,
Yeeees!!
we have 2 try*
thank u 4 your comment;it cheered me up,really**
i watch narnia in english 2.Grammer of english is so different from Japanese,but i have many friend from foreign countries,so they will help me!
@ narniafan16,
yes,i perfectly agree with u!we should stop worrying about our hair color;there hope**
umm…i hope i am.
I don't have any special acting experience,u know.
But I luv acting soooo much!!
oh,u mean, `Will P will act eustace again?'??
I think he will come back…like other characters of narnia.
i hope it hasn't started yet!
But why the news hasn't come 2 Narniaweb,d u think??
oh,i can't tell u how i am nervous!!!
i have too many problems, u know.
and here,i was scolded by my chief today…i couldn't help to cry!!
oh,narniafan16!PLEASE cheer me up!!
yes,thank u.
Well,maybe my black hair & eyes help me then*
afterall,i'll do my best!
God's love will be with u,Emilee.
Lucia
Wow*then,u r so good at riding hourse,aren't u??
I wish i could!
Is it fun??
u r great plot-maker!!
afterall,they have 2 make some reason;why Jill was bulied.Lewis didn't write about it,u know.& in the books,she was very nice & i couldn't discover the reason.
so in the movie,maybe they make the reason!
(ex.Jill was American & her accent was too different from others,so the classmates laughed at her;Jill was British but her hair or skin or eye color was very different,so…;)
Ha,ha*they can make it!!u have so many chance!!
oh sorry i meant i was 1.76 metres :/
i dont think it has been greenlit. theres nothing on narniafan suggesting that it has been…
Thanks Lucia!:) I live in America and with money being tight there is probably only a tiny chance that I can fly to England:( But maybe they will do auditions in Hollywood, that's in America so I could do that:)
whooooo a casting agency have just emailed me and said that they want to represent me!!!!!!!! yaaaaaayyy i am so happy!! i will also be phoning about getting an agent tomorrow as my mums friend is an actress who has lindy king as an agent!!!! yay!!!!
Aw you too hun!
Hi Aslans_aussie_prinsess
You sound almost exactly like me!I am way to tall for my age. Where do you live?
Hi I'm back to my (bossy)self( no not really!)
But I have a need to type down all the things anyone would have to do to act as JillPole
(a.Be able to cry or fake cry in a couple of parts of the movie
(b.To be able work well with CG characters such as Aslan
(c.to be good at cross country, coz jill goes on a long hike with PuddleGlum and Eustus
(d. to not be afraid of caves(being clastrophobic)
(e.to be able to handle early mornings and late nights
(f.being natural in front of a camera
(g.handleing media