Mairi Ella Challen: Little Girl, Big Movie
British schoolgirl Mairi Ella Challen is on speaking terms with the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, and Tweedldee and Tweedledum after Hollywood film director Tim Burton plucked her from obscurity to appear in his new blockbuster movie Alice In Wonderland. Eleven-year-old Mairi Ella, who lives in Warwick, was whisked away to Los Angeles to play the young Alice and found herself working with stars like Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham-Carter, and Alan Rickman. She even attended the movie's star-studded world premiere in London, where she found herself sitting near Prince Charles and Camilla.
"It was very weird to see and hear myself on the screen," Mairi Ella said about the premiere. Her mother Liz added, "We had a wonderful time. Tim came over to say hello, and Mairi Ella enjoyed it. We're very proud of her." But she said that her daughter doesn't plan to pursue an acting career in the near future: "We're not thinking about her doing more acting for a while. She needs to get settled into school again."
A scene from the film
Mairi Ella attends the King's High School for Girls in Warwick, and she's also an enthusiastic member of Warwick-based Playbox youth theatre. Her journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland began when sent her photo to the film’s casting agents, who were looking for a young girl who resembled adult Alice actress Mia Wasikowska. Mum Liz, who works at Warwick Hospital, said: "They were obviously looking for a certain look and Mairi Ella fit the criteria. It’s only a small role, but it was busy from the start with fittings for costumes and work visas and everything. They even dyed her hair blonde for the role."
Mairi Ella spent two weeks filming in Plymouth and then went to Los Angeles with her mother Liz and father Mike for a further two weeks of filming. She even had her own tutor on set so she did not fall behind with her school work.
Mairi Ella said: "It was so much fun. The first time I went on set, it was cool. I'd never seen anything like it before and it was a bit scary because it was so different. When I was filming in Los Angeles, all you could see was green - nothing else. When you see the film, there's all new characters who have been added. I had a green ball on a green stick to represent the March Hare. It was a bit weird but great fun. I liked getting the blue dress. I felt much more convincing. It helped me act better because I felt more like Alice. I liked Mia, and it was fun meeting Johnny. People had lots of good advice, like how I should be myself and take time to enjoy it all."
"It was very weird to see and hear myself on the screen," Mairi Ella said about the premiere. Her mother Liz added, "We had a wonderful time. Tim came over to say hello, and Mairi Ella enjoyed it. We're very proud of her." But she said that her daughter doesn't plan to pursue an acting career in the near future: "We're not thinking about her doing more acting for a while. She needs to get settled into school again."
A scene from the film
Mairi Ella attends the King's High School for Girls in Warwick, and she's also an enthusiastic member of Warwick-based Playbox youth theatre. Her journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland began when sent her photo to the film’s casting agents, who were looking for a young girl who resembled adult Alice actress Mia Wasikowska. Mum Liz, who works at Warwick Hospital, said: "They were obviously looking for a certain look and Mairi Ella fit the criteria. It’s only a small role, but it was busy from the start with fittings for costumes and work visas and everything. They even dyed her hair blonde for the role."
Mairi Ella spent two weeks filming in Plymouth and then went to Los Angeles with her mother Liz and father Mike for a further two weeks of filming. She even had her own tutor on set so she did not fall behind with her school work.
Mairi Ella said: "It was so much fun. The first time I went on set, it was cool. I'd never seen anything like it before and it was a bit scary because it was so different. When I was filming in Los Angeles, all you could see was green - nothing else. When you see the film, there's all new characters who have been added. I had a green ball on a green stick to represent the March Hare. It was a bit weird but great fun. I liked getting the blue dress. I felt much more convincing. It helped me act better because I felt more like Alice. I liked Mia, and it was fun meeting Johnny. People had lots of good advice, like how I should be myself and take time to enjoy it all."