Why Paddington 3 Recast Sally Hawkins As Mary Brown

February 14, 2025

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Though Paddington In Peru reunited the titular bear with the Brown household, one of many franchise’s main roles was recast for the third installment. Regardless of enjoying a key position in each earlier movies, Sally Hawkins departed the collection and did not return for Paddington 3. Alongside the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Samuel Joslin, and Madeleine Harris, Sally Hawkins was an integral a part of the Brown clan. Nonetheless, regardless of her profitable and standard portrayal of Mrs. Brown, Hawkins elected to not return for the threequel, which created a really totally different dynamic for Paddington 3.

Regardless of enjoying a supporting position to Ben Wishaw’s Paddington, Mary Brown has arguably been extra vital than many characters in securing the bear’s standing as a de facto Brown member of the family. Within the authentic Paddington, for example, it was she who was most open-minded when it got here to serving to the homeless bear discover his place within the London metropolis. Likewise, in Paddington 2, she not solely helped Paddington buy the pop-up guide that set the story in movement, but additionally used her swimming abilities to rescue the bear from a crashed prepare. In consequence, recasting such a serious position had critical ramifications for Paddington In Peru.

A composite image of Paddington in his blue raincoat and Paddington in his prison outfit

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Sally Hawkins Stepped Down As Mary Brown In Paddington 3

Emily Mortimer Changed Sally Hawkins In The Paddington Films

Regardless of her prominence within the collection up to now, Sally Hawkins determined to step again from Paddington and did not return for Paddington In Peru. Though her earlier performances because the character rank as a few of her greatest and most recognizable roles, it appears as if the choice has been solely her personal. Because the 48-year-old defined (through Digital Spy), “it has felt the proper time handy the reins over to a different,” including:

“Nonetheless, I’m, and can all the time be in love with Paddington’s world.

“I already vastly miss my on and off-screen household – the expertise of creating the primary two movies has actually been a number of the greatest and most artistic occasions I’ve had on the planet of movie. They each gave me a lot pleasure.

“I’ll without end maintain them so very near my coronary heart certainly.”

These feedback don’t present a lot perception into whether or not there was any particular second or behind-the-scenes drama that

prompted Hawkins to stop the position. It is potential that the seven-year delay between Paddington 2 and Paddington In Peru might have been an element, because it represented a lack of momentum. Nonetheless, even with out there being a very dramatic cause for her departure, a way that the time was proper to maneuver on is a wonderfully affordable clarification.

The place You Know Paddington 3’s New Mary Brown Actor, Emily Mortimer

The New Mary Brown In Paddington Is A TV And Film Veteran

Colin Firth Emily Mortimer and Ben Whishaw in Mary Poppins Returns

Though Sally Hawkins’ absence from Paddington 3 will probably be jarring for a lot of followers, the character is in secure arms because of her alternative, Emily Mortimer. A veteran of movie and TV, Mortimer has been energetic for the reason that early 90s, rising to prominence with performances in initiatives like Beautiful & Wonderful and Match Level. This, in flip, led to high-profile roles in collection akin to The Newsroom and Doll & Em, in addition to movies like Mary Poppins Returns.

Even when it takes viewers a second to regulate to the recast, the proof of Mortimer’s profession up to now makes it clear that she’s greater than able to carrying the baton.

A transparent indication that Mortimer is well-suited to the position comes from Hawkins herself. Alongside her remarks about leaving the franchise, Hawkins stated “…one cannot get a lot better than the actually fantastic Emily Mortimer, she is very particular. She is going to embody the essence of Mary Brown and but make it completely her personal.” Even when it takes viewers a second to regulate to the recast, the proof of Mortimer’s profession up to now makes it clear that she’s greater than succesful of carrying the baton.

A composite image of Paddington looking just off camera and Paddington with the pop up book in Paddington 2

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How The Casting Change Impacted Paddington 3

Whereas there have been fears for the franchise when it was introduced that Sally Hawkins is not in Paddington 3, the forged change did not influence Paddington in Peru all that negatively. That is evidenced by the film sitting with a 93% Tomatometer (crucial rating) on Rotten Tomatoes, an admirably excessive determine by any measure. Whereas many felt it wasn’t fairly as sturdy as the primary two Paddington motion pictures, the newest installment within the trilogy was removed from a disappointment, even with the absence of Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown.

That being stated, as strong a efficiency as Emily Mortimer gave in Paddington in Peru, there have been a couple of who famous the absence of Sally Hawkins in Paddington 3, and there are hints that the film may have been stronger had she returned. For instance, Lucy Carter of Filmhounds writes:

The Browns are drifting aside, with Emily Mortimer as the brand new Mrs. Brown lacking them spending time collectively as a household; once more, a narrative that ought to have much more influence than it does.

Whereas the extra lackluster moments within the Brown’s story in Paddington In Peru may merely be chalked as much as the script slightly than Emily Mortimer, there’ll all the time now be “what if” questions over whether or not the film would have been higher had Sally Hawkins returned. Nonetheless, there have been additionally many critics who praised Emily Mortimer as a strong casting selection for Mrs. Brown following Sally Hawkins not returning after Paddington 2, akin to Clarisse Loughrey of The Unbiased:

[The cast playing the Brown family] all returning actors minus Sally Hawkins, who additionally jumped ship for Wonka however finds a worthy and properly fretful alternative in Emily Mortimer.

In the end, the truth that Sally Hawkins is not in Paddington In Peru did not influence the film all that a lot. It wasn’t the very best Paddington film general, but it surely’s removed from a foul movie both. Whether or not it could have been higher than Paddington or Paddington 2 with Hawkins enjoying Mrs. Brown as a substitute of Emily Mortimer will doubtless all the time be debated, however