Jashandeep Singh
Carla Tous is reportedly replacing Rachel Zegler in the third installment of the live-action animated film ‘Paddington,’ titled ‘Paddington in Peru.’ Zegler was initially cast in the film in the role of Gina Cabot; however, when the filming began in July 2023, the actress could not be a part of the project due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, and the role eventually went to Tous. Zegler was one of the few SAG-AFTRA members in the British production which predominantly features a European cast.
The comedy film follows Paddington as he revisits Peru along with the Brown Family to meet his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now lives in the Home for Retired Bears. The visit results in an unexpected adventure as a mystery leads them on a thrilling journey through the Amazon rainforest and Peru’s mountain peaks.
Tous is known for her work in Spanish cinema and television. She was recently seen in the Netflix romantic drama ‘Through My Window: Across the Sea.’ The actress also stars in the horror comedy ‘El Hombre del Saco.’ Her television credits include the horror series ‘30 Coins’ and the miniseries ‘Three Days of Christmas.’
While Zegler could not be a part of ‘Paddington in Peru,’ she still has some exciting projects to look forward to. The Golden Globe Award-winning actress is gearing up for the release of her film ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,’ which arrives in theaters on November 17, 2023. She also stars in the titular role in Disney’s live-action ‘Snow White’ which is slated to release next year.
‘Paddington in Peru’ is helmed by Dougal Wilson who makes his feature debut after directing several music videos and short films. The screenplay is penned by Mark Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont. The story is by Burton, Simon Farnaby, and Paul King, the writer and director of the previous two films of the franchise.
Apart from Tous, the film stars Hugh Bonneville (‘Downton Abbey’) as Henry Brown, Madeleine Harris (‘Man Down’) as Judy Brown, Samuel Joslin (‘The Impossible’) as Jonathan Brown, Julie Walters (‘Harry Potter’ film series) as Mrs. Bird, Jim Broadbent (‘The Iron Lady’) as Mr. Gruber, Olivia Colman (‘The Crown’) as The Reverend Mother, and Antonio Banderas (‘Uncharted’) as Hunter Cabot.
The voice cast for animated characters includes Ben Whishaw (‘This Is Going to Hurt’) as Paddington and Imelda Staunton (‘Vera Drake’) as Aunt Lucy. Additionally, Sally Hawkins (‘The Shape of Water’), who portrays Mary Brown in the first two films, is not reprising her role in the third installment and is replaced by Emily Mortimer (‘Mary Poppins Returns’).
Based on the stories of Paddington Bear created by Michael Bond, the film franchise kicked off in 2014 with the release of ‘Paddington,’ which revolves around the titular anthropomorphic bear who moves from the jungles of Peru to London, and is adopted by the Brown family. The film was a box office hit which paved the way for a sequel that premiered in 2017 and again achieved commercial success. The third film in the franchise was officially announced in February 2021.
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