Julie Walters: Paddington was fabulous

Julie Walters is proud to play the “very, very, very attractive housekeeper” in Paddington.

The 64-year-old actress stars as Mrs. Bird in the upcoming live-action feature, which is based on the loveable character created by author Michael Bond. Ben Whishaw voices Paddington, with Hugh Bonneville playing Mr. Brown and Sally Hawkins his wife.

“Never worked with a bear I must say. Not one I can mention, anyway,” Julie laughed to TV show Good Morning Britain.

“Paddington arrives, an innocent abroad, at Paddington Station where he’s picked up by the Brown family. Now I play the very, very, very attractive housekeeper of the Brown family. Anyway he gets into various scrapes which I won’t go into because you’ve got to see the film.

“Gorgeous Hugh and gorgeous Sally! It’s a really lovely cast, it’s been great fun actually.”

She may be the housekeeper on screen, but that doesn’t mean Julie didn't get a taste of the action. In fact, she got to team up with one of the movie’s biggest names.

“I get to go to combat with… oh what’s she called? That little known actress… oh yes Nicole Kidman,” she joked.

“And I’m sort of the hero. Apart from Paddington.”

Paddington is renowned for his love of marmalade sandwiches, something the cast were all reminded of when they arrived on set. Julie was touched by a gift they were all given, even if she approached it differently to her co-stars.

“Do you know what we were given on our first day of shooting? A jar of marmalade made by the author’s wife. Everyone was saying, ‘Oh well I can’t eat that [I need to] preserve it.’ Well I’ve eaten mine. And it was gorgeous!” she laughed.