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Ewan McGregor plays Christopher Robin as an adult in the new Disney movie “Christopher Robin”. Learn more below in this exclusive interview. I am part of the #ChristopherRobinEvent press tour. This post is a Disney partnered post. All opinions are my own.

Christopher Robin but All Grown Up

It must be a daunting task to take on such an iconic role and do it justice. But Ewan McGregor doesn’t dwell on that at all! He read the script and felt like he KNEW Christopher Robin and KNEW how he wanted to play him. He added that he felt this character was the right one to play at this point in his life. If he did have any fear, he added, “Anything that has that kind of fear is a good idea to do! It’s better to do stuff you’re slightly scared of – than not!” Isn’t that some great life advice?

(Photo Credits: Louise Manning Bishop of https://momstart.com)

“I’m charmed by it.” is how Ewan McGregor describes his feelings for this film.  He was inspired to take this role because of the way the director Marc Forster spoke about it. (Hayley Atwell said something similar about why she took her role as the wife in Christopher Robin.)

“It might be an important movie for now. It will be a good movie for people to watch in these times.” – Ewan McGregor

For the Love of the Characters

Ewan remembers reading Winnie the Pooh stories to his own children. He loves all of the characters but is partial to Pooh because that is his “little sidekick”. Ewan also feels that Pooh is very wise. In fact he even took one of the stuffed Pooh teddies home with him after the film. (I wonder if he ever stares at it and imagines it coming to life.)

(Photo Credits: Louise Manning Bishop of https://momstart.com)

Ewan also finds it endearing how Eeyore is so “glum”. But one character that stood out to him was the precious Kanga. She is one of the only female characters in the 100 acre wood. Ewan describes her “The material calming voice.” of the film.

Bringing Winnie the Pooh to Life

Ewan McGregor does a wonderful and believable job in the Christopher Robin movie. He commits fully to talking to a stuffed animal. It was quite impressive! He describes the process of filming this type of screen partnership.

“First we film a scene with a stuffed animal and a young “fresh out of school” drama actor doing the voices. Then we film the same scene with a stuffed teddy but this one is hairless – just a grey canvas in the shape of the character. The scene is filmed again with a version of the teddy but this time with no head, arms or legs! Lastly, we would film the same exact scene but with only a light on the end of an antena to make sure the eye contact was perfect.”

I had no idea that there was so much work and repetition done for just one scene in a movie like this! But it was worth it. The interaction between people and the 100 acre woods characters is flawless. You’ll see when you watch the movie – you just accept it because it looks so real!

What was it like on set?

Every actor I interviewed in this film raved about director Marc Forster. They all explained how inspired they were by his vision and the chemistry he brought to the set.

Ewan McGregor will remember this as an important film to him personally for  many reasons.

“The atmosphere on the set was lovely. Marc is such a beautiful collaborative director. He really loves to hear everybody idea. He is very open. You feel like you’ve got a lot of input, and he listens….I loved that he was enthusiast and let me know what was working. This was also a calming gentle process of filming. We were also in beautiful places like the woods. And we got to film with Winnie the Pooh everyday, so it was nice”

Favorite Scenes

As in every movie, Ewan had a favorite scene. It was one of the most touching emotional scenes in the movie. There is a gorgeous scene with Pooh and Christopher Robin sit on a log that overlooks a valley during sunset. Christopher Robin apologizes to Pooh for the way he has acted and Pooh responds with love and grace. This scene will tug at your heart strings.

The other scene that Ewan McGregor enjoyed was the scene at the end where Christopher Robin has come to the end of his realization that he has not been the father he wants to be with his daughter. Christopher Robin sees the trouble and danger that Madelyn has gone through for him.

Funny, his two favorite scenes were apology scenes! I guess that says something about the depth of his craft. He can play a silly scene and make the audience giggle. But in the very next scene he can deliver it with profound emotional intensity.

(Photo Credits: Louise Manning Bishop of https://momstart.com)

Favorite Line

I was lucky enough to ask the final question in our group interview. My question to Ewan McGregor was “What was your favorite line that you deliver as Christopher Robin?” Ewan smiled and had a far off reminiscent look in his eyes. He tenderly answered;

“I mean, it’s lovely saying ‘Silly Old Bear’.”

(Photo Credits: Louise Manning Bishop of https://momstart.com)

The Take Home Message

Playing this role of Christopher Robin who gets busy and begins to loose connection with his family – made Ewan think of his Dad. The time period of this movie lines up with his fathers childhood. It wasn’t normal for the fathers to be close to their children. There was WW2 ending and afterwards the pressures of providing in the late 1940s. Ewan McGregor found it difficult to portray that emotional distance with the lovely actress who plays Madelyn his daughter, Bronte Carmichael. He wanted to act cold towards her but it was “quite difficult to do because she is such a lovely girl!“.

Ewan McGregor feels like the significant theme of the movie is “Connection. Just be available, being there, being present.” Isn’t that what we all need from the ones we love?

(Photo Credits: Louise Manning Bishop of https://momstart.com)

But in the end Ewan McGregor has this to say about movie messages;

“I don’t really concern myself with messages in movies. I don’t like to think about that. Everyone will receive it in a different way. It will  mean something different to everybody. I think that’s what’s lovely about any art. It either means something to you or it doesn’t.”

Want to see Ewan McGregor Interview Winnie the Pooh & Friends?

Could you just melt after watching that?
Go see Disney’s Christopher Robin in Theaters August 3rd, 2018.
Take your whole family!

I met Jim Cummings the voice of Pooh & Tigger too!

Disney’s Christopher Robin released nationwide August 3, 2018

Join the hype by using the hashtag #ChristopherRobin

xo