Unknown actor Ben Barnes has found himself the poster-boy of the Narnia fantasy franchise - and he can't quite believe it. He talks to Michele Manelis about his sudden stardom and filming Prince Caspian in New Zealand
KEY POINTS:
In the never-ending stream of handsome actors put on screen, lunchboxes and merchandising tie-ins, English actor and heart-throb-in-waiting Ben Barnes is getting used to his real-life role as "the next Orlando Bloom".
Or, at least he's trying to.
The self-effacing actor stars in the second instalment of
the Chronicles of Narnia, playing the lead role as the brooding Prince Caspian. It marks his debut appearance in a leading role on the big screen, however, the 26-year-old actor is more familiar with theatre productions, having appeared on stage in The History Boys and Sex, Chips and Rock 'n' Roll, on London's West End.
Conducting interviews at New York's Mandarin Hotel, overlooking Central Park, Barnes is recovering from the night before having witnessed himself on screen in Narnia for the first time.
"I thought I was going to be sick, I was so nervous," he says. "It was exhilarating and a bit surreal. And now, looking at your microphone, I feel like I'm watching that scene out of Notting Hill where Hugh Grant interviews Julia Roberts," he laughs.
His fish-out-of-water demeanour seems genuine. Not yet familiar with the blase movie-star attitude most actors employ when discussing fame, he speaks animatedly, reliving the shock, "I was driving down Sunset Boulevard and saw this huge billboard of just my face. It was so weird. It was about 10 storeys high.
"It literally left me short of breath. In fact, I had to pull over," he recalls, his face blushing slightly. "It was a nerve-racking experience. So I called my brother and told him. He said, `I've seen that poster of Prince Caspian. It's not you. Look at that tan!"'
I ask whether he took a photo of himself next to the famed billboard, "Of course I did," he says, looking through his bag to reveal his phone with the image. "You wouldn't be normal if you didn't do that, would you?" He leans forward. "But I have to say, no one has recognised me yet. And I'm a bit disappointed," he jokes. "I could stand there all day in front of that billboard and no one would know it was me."
Prince Caspian is directed by New Zealand's Andrew Adamson, who brought the first Chronicles of Narnia film to the big screen, having already made his mark in the first two Shrek movies. He took his time in choosing his perfect prince.
Says Adamson, "We saw many actors for this role but when we saw Ben in person, he won us over. Obviously he looked great, he seemed excited about the role and he seemed like someone I wouldn't mind spending seven months with."
The movie was largely filmed in New Zealand's South Island, as well as Prague, Poland and Slovenia. Says Adamson, "It's great to shoot in New Zealand because there's a real unspoiled wilderness. Also the crews are great. They didn't mind being out there the middle of nowhere. There were no prima donnas."
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe earned more than US$745 million worldwide. That kind of success puts the pressure on for both Adamson, as well as Barnes.
Concurs Adamson, "Yes, the pressure was definitely felt by both of us."
"And I have to say, Ben did a great job. He has a lot to carry." It was also important in the casting process that they find an actor who will age appropriately as he is soon to start production on part three of the franchise: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
"He has a real, young sensibility to him. It was great to have someone of his maturity and experience but who looks much younger," adds Adamson.
Barnes grew up in London and performed with the National Youth Music Theatre from 1997 to 2003. He graduated with a degree in English and drama from Kingston University. His father is a psychiatrist and his mother a therapist - worlds away from the entertainment business.
"My family was always supportive of me," Barnes says. He also did a stint in the short-lived boy band, Hyrise. "I wholeheartedly regret that I did that. I quit as soon as I joined. We had one song and we performed it once."
Taking on the role of Prince Caspian brought physical challenges, as well as having to develop a believable Spanish accent.
"Initially, the horseriding I found to be really difficult, I have to admit. I landed in New Zealand and was taken directly to the riding centre for the disabled," he laughs. "Then I went to a place called Paradise, in the South Island, and I spent about six, seven hours a day on the horses with the Spanish trainers. I was riding through rivers and through forests, up and down ramps and into battle with the flaming torch. It was really, really exhilarating, particularly the riding through the rivers. I did it twice, once in New Zealand, once in Slovenia," he says. "And, of course, I had to learn sword-fighting."
He says it was more difficult getting the accent right. "I had to get a dialect coach and we worked on this Spanish accent. It had to be a mixture of Italian, Mexican and Flemish fused together."
Barnes will next star opposite Jessica Biel and Colin Firth in Easy Virtue, based on the Noel Coward play. Then follows the lead in Oscar Wilde's Dorian Grey. It seems a sure-fire bet Barnes is being groomed as "the next Orlando Bloom". He smiles uneasily.
"Well, of course that's a compliment, but this heart-throb thing is embarrassing. I just look at my shoes a lot when people ask me about it. It feels strange to see my face on the poster when nobody knows who I am," he laughs. One thing is for certain. Once Caspian is released, his days of anonymity will soon be a distant memory.
LOWDOWN
Who: Ben Barnes, the face of the new Narnia movie.
What: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
When & where: Opens in cinemas June 19.
