Looking for Big and Small New Zealanders

Original Story from the NZ Herald

NZers get chance to be a Lion, a Witch or in a Wardrobe

15.04.2004 By ANNE BESTON
If you are very short or very tall and have a couple of months or so to spare, your opportunity to appear in a major Hollywood movie has come knocking.

New Zealand extras casting for the Walt Disney-Walden production of the CS Lewis classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe begins in Wellington this Saturday. People of unusual size are being urged to show up.

Independent casting director Liz Mullane, who worked on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, wants men and women under 153cm (5ft) and men and women over 192cm (6ft 4in) to attend the auditions. They must have good body strength, stamina, fitness and be “non- claustrophobic”.

That’s because they could find themselves inside some weird and wonderful places, including a full body suit, for hours at a time.

“The costumes can take it out of you, it’s tough work being an extra on a film,” she said.

“There are lots of amazing characters and creatures in the film, giants and ogres and those kinds of things, so basically we’re looking for people who have the stamina to do that kind of body-suit thing.”

About 200 extras would be needed for the film, due to shoot from the end of June.

Casting calls would also be held in Christchurch and Auckland.

The big question of who will play the “White Witch” has not been officially settled but one industry source told the Herald Oscar winner Nicole Kidman should not be ruled out.

[NarniaWeb Note: Producer Mark Johnson has said that Nicole Kidman was never considered and will not be the White Witch.]