The third Paddington movie is here and, while a lot of the old band is back together, you may notice that Sally Hawkins’ Mary Brown has been recast with Emily Mortimer this time around. According to reports, Hawkins couldn’t join the threequel because she has been managing the autoimmune disease lupus. That medical condition makes it difficult for one to travel abroad. With that, Mortimer had to follow up great performances from Hawkins and, when she spoke to CinemaBlend, about joining the franchise's family, she shared the sweet and unexpected joys of being a Brown.
As disclosed in my Paddington In Peru review, the sequel is sure to be one of the warm and fuzziest 2025 movie releases of the year… and it’s only February. Here’s what Emily Mortimer told us about replacing Sally Hawkins as the Brown matriarch, when we sat down with her and Hugh Bonneville:
I was welcomed with just such a sort of sweetness and warmth by everybody behind the camera and all the actors starting with Hugh [Bonneville], who always just sort of made me feel very welcome and like I wasn't an imposter, in the form of his new wife. So, that was really lovely and I guess I had hoped it would feel that way, because the films just sort of emanate that feeling of sort of inclusivity and tolerance and sweetness.
Emily Mortimer was worried she’d be the “imposter” on the set of Paddington In Peru after Hawkins originated the role in 2014’s Paddington and its 2017 sequel. However, she actually felt welcomed with open arms, with co-star and on-screen husband Hugh Bonneville leading the charge on that front. Mortimer wasn’t the only new member of the team either.
For the first time in the Paddington franchise, director Dougal Wilson was at the helm (instead of Paul King) and both Puss In Boots alums Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman joined the cast as well. As Mortimer continued, discussing the one element she wasn't expecting amid production:
But, I think the thing that really surprised me when I was there – I mean I've done many, many films over the course of now, a kind of depressingly long career. And, the attention to detail, the specificity, the sense of responsibility towards this character that imbues every corner of the set and everybody, every member of the crew. You just feel this common sense of responsibility to the character and to the franchise that is really palpable. And I felt that that was something I was not expecting and was really beautiful to see.
While it’s never exactly great to see an actor be replaced by another, especially when we’re talking about Sally Hawkins, Emily Mortimer fit right into the cast and brought her own wit and charm to Mary Brown. I can't help but feel like the producers put a lot of time and care into finding someone who could fill Hawkins' shoes.
The new movie sees the eponymous bear and the Browns go to South America to visit the bear’s Aunt Lucy. But, of course, the visit doesn't go quite as planned, given that the family ends up in the middle of a fantastic treasure hunt.
Emily Mortimer couldn't have joined the franchise during a more exciting installment. I can understand the nerves that would come with taking the baton, so to speak, for such a significant role. Thankfully, she said yes to adventuring to entering the fold for a Paddington sequel critics have already been charmed by. Mortimer more than honors Sally Hawkins' work while also putting her own stamp on the role of Mary Brown.
Paddington In Peru is now playing in theaters just in time for President’s Day weekend.
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