Emma Mackey Teases a “Surprising” and “Wonderful” Narnia Adaptation

Emma Mackey has been discussing her role as Jadis in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew in a string of interviews whilst promoting her latest movie, Ella McCay, in which she plays the titular role.

Whilst Narnia’s strict non-disclosure policy meant that the actress gave predictably tight-lipped responses to many of the questions posed, there were still a few interesting insights to be gleaned from her answers.

First, speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the world premiere of Ella McCay in Los Angeles, Emma said that she said she thought fans would be “surprised” by the film, and that they were “in for a treat”, echoing similar sentiments raised in the past few weeks by composer Andrew Wyatt and distributor Rich Gelfond.

Q: What do you think might surprise fans the most about this take on the franchise?

A: On Narnia? Oh, I mean, everything. I think people are in for a treat, and… I hope, I think, it’s going to be wonderful, it feels wonderful. We’re in it right now, so I can’t say anything about it, but yeah, it’s a dream come true.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Time Magazine, Emma remarked that the “stakes are high” for a big project such as Narnia, whilst when speaking to USA Today the actress once again clarified that the books had been a “big part” of her childhood and that playing the role of Jadis had been “very meaningful” to her.

Q: Working with J.J and Greta, have you enjoyed your fantasy movie phase?

A: I grew up on those kinds of films and those books. “Narnia” was a big part of my childhood, as were the “Star Wars” movies. I do gravitate to them. I’m very happy to be in that space right now.

Q: After growing up on the “Narnia” books, what’s it like to now play a beloved character like the White Witch?

A: It’s very meaningful, and what’s even more meaningful is that Greta gets to bring her interpretation. She’s so deeply passionate about cinema, and her brain is just constantly ticking away. I like to be around those kinds of brains every day, if possible, because it’s very elevating, enriching and playful, too.

Continuing on with movie website Collider, who also asked about her recent work on both Greta Gerwig’s Narnia and JJ Abram’s Ghost Writer, Emma said that it had been a “thrill” to work with both directors and that the projects were both “very exciting” but “very different”.

Likewise, Hollywood trade paper Variety also asked Emma to compare and contrast some of her recent projects by articulating the differences between the characters of Ella McCay and Jadis:

There’s a big gap between Ella and Jadis, which I’m currently filming on, but I get to be around some of the greatest, most passionate cinema brains in movie history. It’s such a privilege. Both Greta and Jim are very truthful in their approach and in their manner, and they care about the work deeply. Being around people like that is very invigorating and enriching and they lead by example all the way.

Emma Mackey can next be seen starring in Ella McCay, which releases in cinemas on December 12th, and JJ Abram’s Ghost Writer, which is set for release sometime during 2026.