Olivia Colman: 'd have done anything to star in Paddington in Peru'

Academy Award-winner Olivia Colman is the latest star to join the whimsical world of Paddington, stepping into Paddington in Peru as the enigmatic Reverend Mother, who runs the Home for Retired Bears.

A self-proclaimed fan of the character, Colman said the decision to join the franchise required no thought. “I have absolutely adored the Paddington films. When the option came up for this new film, I was in,” she gushed. “I'd have done anything.”

In her new role, Colman shares screen time with veteran actress Julie Walters, who reprises her role as Mrs. Bird. Meeting the actress, Colman admitted, “She just doesn't know how to not be funny and brilliant. She’s amazing and has not lost any of her legendary status.”

Also making a debut in the Paddington universe is Emily Mortimer, who steps into the shoes of Mrs. Brown—originally played by Sally Hawkins. Mortimer, while honoured, confessed to early nerves, “I was nervous picking up the baton from Sally, who so indelibly became Mrs. Brown. Her relationship with Paddington was at the heart of the original films.”

But she couldn’t resist the magic saying “The pull of this world was too strong. Every scene feels like something you’ve never quite seen before.”

Yet, amidst the changes, Paddington remains the heart of it all. Colman beautifully captured what the bear stands for, saying, “Paddington always thinks the best of people. Even when they've done a bad thing, he understands that they're just people. Imagine if the world was full of Paddingtons—there’d be no war, no unkindness.”

Mortimer echoed the sentiment, calling it “a symbol of a radical kind of love—open, boundaryless, and deeply kind.”

Paddington in Peru releases in cinemas in English and Hindi on April 18th.