Andrew Garfield Auditioned for Prince Caspian
Andrew Garfield recently said that he auditioned for the titular role in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Garfield was 23 years old at the time.
That handsome brilliant actor Ben Barnes ended up getting the role. I think it was down to me and him. I remember I was obsessed, like “why not me, why not me?” … [My agent] eventually just broke under my incessant nagging and she was like, ‘It’s because they don’t think you’re handsome enough, Andrew.’ … Ben Barnes is a very handsome talented man, so in retrospect, I’m not unhappy with the decision and I think he did a beautiful job.
Andrew Garfield
Watch the video (13:25), and read the story.
Garfield is most widely known for The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). He recently won a Golden Globe for Tick, Tick… Boom!
Even though Andrew Garfield is a good actor, no one can replace Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian. He truly did a brilliant job! But really, who else could play him? If anyone knows please tell me ;P
This almost-casting is common knowledge among Narnia fans of course, but I’m glad you’re highlighting it, particularly because both Garfield AND Barnes have had memorable acting careers since 2008. Still, my 2 cents is that, choosing between them, Garfield SHOULD have been Caspian, and if the movies went on then Barnes could have played another Telmarine-Narnian, like Rilian or even (when I saw him in PC in 2008) Tirian. [I stand by ‘He’s too old for the naive boy Caspian’. Garfield was too, but he at least looked 16 in 2008.]
Edit: Who else could have played Caspian? Hmm… I don’t really know! The creative decision to make Caspian a Mediterranean-accented boy (along with casting Italian actors as the adults) makes me think they could have cast a young Italian actor.
It would have made a lot more sense to cast a young Italian or Spanish actor based on the rest of the Telmarine cast.
My only complaint with Ben Barnes is the funny accent and hair they gave him and that he was much older than Caspian in the book. I really am happy he was Caspian and he did a great job with how they wanted him to play the role!
Someone should do a deep fake with Andrew Gardield as Caspian.
I think that Ben Barnes was a talented Caspian and not because of his physical appearance he really captured the essence of the character.