AnnaSophia Robb's Magical Adventure

AnnaSophia Robb's Magical Adventure

The actress chats about her new movie, Bridge to Terabithia

We last saw AnnaSophia Robb on the big screen as gum-smacking Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Now the 13-year-old is bringing another classic children's book character to life. She plays tomboy Leslie Burke in the film version of Katherine Paterson's novel, Bridge to Terabithia, in theaters February 16.

Bridge to Terabithia tells the story of Jess Aarons (played by Josh Hutcherson, a boy who is an outcast at school and at home. But when he meets Leslie, the new girl in school and a fellow outsider, his life changes forever. The two become fast friends and create Terabithia, an imaginary kingdom in the woods where they go to escape reality. TFK spoke to AnnaSophia about Terabithia, what her own imaginary world would be like, and about Leslie's wild wardrobe.

TFK:

What's Leslie like?

AnnaSophia:

Leslie is really creative and not afraid to be herself. She encourages Jess to be comfortable with himself. They develop this wonderful friendship and create Terabithia, where they deal with problems that they have in the real world, like bullies and Jess's father not paying attention to him. In Terabithia, they turn one of the school bullies into a giant and the others into ogres and hairy vultures.

TFK:

Had you read the book before starting the film?

AnnaSophia:

I read it as soon as I heard that they were making it into a film. I love it! It's such a good story. I remember when I was finishing the last couple pages of the book. I was crying and crying. My dad walked in and was like, ''AnnaSophia, what's wrong?'' And I said (sniffling), ''Oh, I'm just finishing up the book. I'll be down to breakfast in a couple of minutes.'' And he had read the book as well so he knew exactly what I was talking about.

TFK:

How did you prepare for the role?

AnnaSophia:

I took all of my discussions with the director and the producer and my own thoughts and tried to create Leslie. The book and the script helped a lot because they give a pretty good description of her. And Leslie's wardrobe also helped. As soon as I got to the set, I wanted to put on Leslie's clothes. Her wardrobe says everything about her. She's a free thinker, she's lovable, she's outgoing, and she's funny. Leslie was really fun to play because she was always happy and always having a good time.

TFK:

Is your imagination as wild as Leslie's?

AnnaSophia:

I think so, but in a different sense. I'm 13 now, so I don't really play pretend anymore, which is sad. But in a way, I do through acting. You have to really believe in (your character), or else it doesn't work.

TFK:

If you made up an imaginary world, what would it be like?

AnnaSophia:

Oh boy. That's hard to say. I'd probably want it to be like New Zealand, where the North Island is warm and tropical, and the South Island is all rugged and snow-capped mountains. I'd be able to fly. And I would want the distribution of food to be equal and for people to respect each other and treat each other better.

TFK:

What did you learn from this role?

AnnaSophia:

I learned how important it is to not judge people and to love them for who they are, and to try to have a positive outlook on life.

TFK:

What kind of messages will kids take away from the film?

AnnaSophia:

I hope that it brings up the issue of boy-girl relationships. A lot of boys and girls don't think they can be friends without knowing each other since they were tiny babies. I just hope that they can be friends without thinking, ''Oh, we have to be boyfriend and girlfriend.''

TFK:

How different is the film from the book?

AnnaSophia:

Books let your imagination go wild. But films have the obligation of showing what something looks like. So there was a lot of pressure for the special effects people to try to create Terabithia, because everyone imagines Terabithia differently. I had imagined it differently from the movie. But when I watched it, I was still really happy. I thought, ''Wow, that is incredible. That looks like Terabithia.'' That's probably the main difference. And the film still keeps the relationship between Jess and Leslie the same, which I'm really happy about because it's a special relationship.

TFK:

What will kids like about the movie?

AnnaSophia:

Probably the fantasy part. I think a lot of kids my age want to pretend, but there is this invisible boundary line that says, ''You can't pretend when you turn 12.'' So I think it'll be fun for kids, especially if they've read the book. And the tree fort is really cool. I loved shooting in those woods because they were so magical, and all the trees were incredible. I felt like I was in Terabithia.

By Vickie An