‘Invisible’: Stars reveal secret at heart of beloved Paddington franchise

The well-known cast of Paddington have unveiled the “invisible” star at the heart of the wildly popular film franchise.

IN LONDON

The secret figure at the heart of Paddington has been unveiled by the stars of the beloved film’s franchise.

The iconic British bear is coming back to the big screen for a third instalment of the film franchise next month, in a new adventure which sees him – along with the Brown family – head to Peru to find his missing Aunt Lucy.

Paddington is heading to Peru.

Joining the cast for Paddington in Peru is Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas.

As has been done previously, Paddington was created using a combination of motion capture, CGI animation and the voice of actor Ben Whishaw – but on set during filming, someone else is secretly bringing the bear to life.

“We have [actress] Lauren, who walks through the shots with us and is just as much a part of the family [as the rest of us],” Hugh Bonneville, who plays Mr Brown (and is also well-known for his starring role as Earl Grantham in Downton Abbey), told news.com.au.

He explained that she is with the cast during their scenes, wearing Paddington’s “iconic blue duffle coat and red hat”.

The Browns – including the new Mrs Brown, Emily Mortimer – and Mrs Bird join Paddington on his mission.

Banderas added: “I’ve got to tell you … in three [Paddington films], she’s an invisible actor, but she helped me incredibly.

“She helped me enormously to create the character in the way that she reacted [on set]. And nobody knows her [as Paddington].”

For Paddington’s latest outing, British actress Emily Mortimer also provided a new face, replacing the original Mrs Brown, played by Sally Hawkins in the two previous films.

Stepping into a story that’s existed for more than 60 years and is loved by millions is a daunting prospect – and Mortimer certainly felt the weight of it.

Antonio Banderas plays a new character in the film.

Olivia Colman also joins the all-star cast.

Especially, as she told news.com.au, when it came to crossing the threshold of his iconic London home: 32 Windsor Gardens in Notting Hill.

“I’m really relieved that they didn’t shoot the house stuff with us until the very end of the shoot on the third film, because I felt that feeling walking in through the door …” Mortimer said.

“It’s so iconic, that house, and you just have so many memories connected to those films and seeing them that there was something really kind of like, ‘oh my God, this is stepping into others’ shoes’ as I walk in through this door.

“And I’m really pleased that we started, I think on the boat [in Peru] … Then I worked my way up to walking through the front door of the house as the kind of new Mrs. Brown, which could have been intimidating, but thanks to all of [cast], it wasn’t – it was very, very sweet.”

Paddington in Peru will be in Australian cinemas from January 1.