Anna Popplewell

ANNA POPPLEWELL

Date of Birth: December 16, 1988

Born in London, England, Anna Popplewell began attending Saturday drama classes at Allsorts Drama. The school also runs a talent agency, and through them, Anna made her acting debut with a small role in the 1998 television movie, Frenchman's Creek.

Her film debut came soon after, in Mansfield Park (1999), an adaptation of Jane Austen's book. Anna landed her first lead role in big budget film The Little Vampire (2000), starring American child actor Jonathan Lipnicki. After the TV movie Dirty Tricks (2000), Anna had the opportunity to act with her younger sister Laura in Masterpiece Theatre's miniseries Love in a Cold Climate (2001).

She played Fanny Davilow in Masterpiece Theatre’s Daniel Deronda (2002) starring Hugh Dancy, then won the role of Maertge, Vermeer's oldest daughter in the critically-acclaimed Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) opposite Colin Firth.

Anna auditioned for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) almost two years before production began, and underwent several callbacks before landing a part as Susan Pevensie, one of four siblings who enter a strange world when they step through a magical wardrobe.

She enjoyed filming in New Zealand, with the exception of one scene that involved over 100 mice. Director Andrew Adamson didn't realize the extent of her phobia towards rodents, and decided it would be a good idea to show her one before filming the scene. He held the mouse, named Mr. Jingles, up and when she screamed and burst into tears, he realized he would need a body double to stand in for Anna during those shots.

She happily did everything else required of her, including learning archery. Off screen, she enjoyed her school lessons conducted by a tutor. Just after filming ended, Anna received perfect scores on her GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education).

Undecided about whether she'll continue acting, Anna has done work experience in medicine, law and advertising. She is a day student at an all-girl school and lives in London with her father (a lawyer), mother (a doctor), sister Laura (aka Lulu) and brother Freddie, who played Michael in the 2003 film picture Peter Pan.

Filmography:

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Thunderpants (2002)
Me Without You (2001)
The Little Vampire (2000)
Mansfield Park (1999)