The 13-year-old was picked from thousands of hopefuls to play Wendy Darling in the film, based on JM Barrie’s classic story about the boy who refused to grow up.

“One minute I’m walking across the playground to maths, the next I’m flying out to Hollywood to meet the world’s press. It’s a dream come true,” said Rachel.

She tried for the role after her grandparents saw a television clip that said film bosses were looking for a “young English rose” to play in the £65 million film.

“They mentioned it in passing to my mum on the phone,” said Rachel. “When I came home from school she smiled at me and said ‘Do you want to audition for a film?’ I never thought in a billion years I would get the part.

“I auditioned in London last year then went to Australia, where they were filming for a final audition.”

Rachel, who lives in Godalming, won the part despite virtually no acting experience. But during her spell in Never Never Land she got to work with Richard Briers and Lynn Redgrave, and spent eight months on Australia’s Gold Coast.

As Wendy in the film, she cannot decide whether to kiss Peter Pan – played by American teenager Jeremy Sumpter – or mother him. But, in real life, Rachel said: “I haven’t started dating boys yet.”

Now back home with young brother Patrick and parents Sarah and Philip, she is discussing future roles. The film premieres tonight and opens at cinemas across Britain on 26 December.

RHW: My grandparents heard about it on the television and told my mom. One day when I came home from school, she measured me to see if I was within the height restrictions, without telling me what she was doing. I was confused as to why she was doing that. Then she told me that I was within the height restrictions and I got really excited and I thought, “I’d love to do an audition.”

QUESTION: How tough was the audition process?

RHW: Not very tough. All I had to do was tell the casting lady a bit about myself, then she gave me a recall where they gave me a couple of pages of lines that I had to learn. The next time I got recalled, I just sort of said them in front of a video camera. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but it wasn’t really bad because everyone was so nice.

QUESTION: This may seem like a silly question, but had you been familiar with the Peter Pan story?

RHW: Oh, yes. I loved the story since I was very little, though I haven’t been very in touch with it since I’ve been older. But I was fond of it and had watched the Disney cartoon.

QUESTION: My understanding is that this movie is very close to the original novel.

RHW: I think it’s fantastic and it’s much more true to the original book than perhaps the other versions have been. It’s really, really good.

QUESTION: For you, what was the appeal of playing the character of Wendy?

RHW: She’s quite like myself. She’s adventurous and brave, yet she’s got a feminine side to her as well. It was tricky to play her at times, because there are so many things that combine together to make the Wendy character. But that made it really good fun playing it.

QUESTION: Jeremy mentioned that he had a height issue during production. Did you?

RHW: I think I grew five inches in the year.

QUESTION: What was the experience of flying on wires like?

RHW: It was really, really good fun. After a time, it could get really tedious, depending on what you were doing. When I heard there was blue screen flying, I thought it was a bit pointless, but then I realized that you have lines and stuff up there, so it is acting, except that you’re high above the ground. Being in the harness, sometimes it can dig in around your leg area and stuff, but it wasnt too bad and you do get used to it. There was also back arching and pointing toes, so you have to be very cognizant of what you’re doing the whole time – as well as acting, which was good fun. It was all a learning experience.

QUESTION: Are you excited to see the end result?

RHW: I am. I can’t wait to see what the whole thing looks like. I wasn’t allowed to see dailies, because P.J., the director, was scared that it might affect performances. I’ve seen little bits of it and I love the trailer for the film. I think it’s fantastic.

QUESTION: Is acting something you wanted to pursue all along?

RHW: This is totally new to me. Truthfully, the only reason I went to the audition was for the fun of seeing what an audition was like. The only other experience I’ve had is just doing school plays and stuff. I’ve never, ever really done anything like this. So this is all very amazing. I was so excited when I found out that I had the part. I was over the moon.

QUESTION: Having had this experience, is acting something you want to pursue in the future?

RHW: I would definitely like to do more of it, but I’m not really sure if I would want to do it as a career. I’m crazy about dolphins, so I’d rather be a marine biologist.

QUESTION: Did you and Jeremy have a good working relationship?

RHW: Definately. We’re really good friends and he relaxed me when we were on set, so that was great.

QUESTION: In your mind, what was the most challenging aspect of this movie?

RHW: Probably, for me, the toughest scene is in Hook’s cabin, because its very emotional and I had to really think about what I was doing. I was so nervous coming to set that day, but, of course, it all became very relaxing.

QUESTION: It’s probably important to remember that the effects will only take you so far, that its the emotions the audience will identify with.

RHW: You have to really think about what you’re doing beforehand and make a few mental notes about the scene. Generally, I like to read the script, read that scene through, the whole thing, just to get a grip on what was really happening.

QUESTION: In modern Hollywood, the thought is always for the franchise, the sequel – do you think there will be a follow-up to this?

RHW: To be honest, I don’t think there could be a sequel , because Peter Pan is a timeless classic. I just don’t think a sequel could work as well as I think this movie will. I also dont know if I could play Wendy again, because I would be a little bit too old at that point.

Rachel Hurd-Wood, 13, from Godalming in Surrey, beat hundreds of other hopefuls to play Wendy in the £65m film, which stars Jeremy Sumpter as the boy hero.

“I was so lucky to get this part and the experience was just amazing,” Hurd said at the London premiere on Tuesday night.

Her only acting experience before the film had been in a school play.

Hurd-Wood said she was taken aback at interest in the film. More than 1,000 people turned out at Leicester Square to cheer the charity premiere.

The film is tipped to become a Christmas box office hit.

“I can’t believe that I’m here, it’s so unreal,” she said. “People outside were shouting my name and it’s just incredible.”

Sumpter, the 14-year-old star of the film, also enjoyed the reception.

“I guess I’ll get girls following me now,” he said. “It’s what every guy wants and hopefully it will now happen to me. It’s cool how many people were shouting for me when I arrived, I love it,” he said.

The film also stars French actress Ludivine Sagnier as the fairy Tinker Bell, and Harry Potter star Jason Isaacs as the evil Captain Hook.

The charity premiere raised many for the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. In his will, Peter Pan author JM Barrie gave the copyright of his book to the hospital.

The film is released on Boxing Day in the UK.

Confident Jeremy was cute in black shirt and pants. He’s still got his Peter Pan “do” of curly, blonde-tipped hair. Polite, petite Rachel, a perfect English rose, has porcelain skin, great lips and looked very cute in her white shirt, mini-skirt and brown suede boots. First, we wanted to know what the actors knew about Peter Pan before signing on for the movie.

Jason: In England, Peter Pan is always played by a middle-aged woman whose singing career is behind her. My first experience ever in the theatre was seeing this middle-aged woman play Peter Pan and wondering why Wendy was not so attractive. And then many years later I read the book and then when Peter [Hogan, the director] offered me the film all I remembered of that was the [Disney] cartoon. So my knowledge was very sketchy and when I first read the script I couldn’t believe what a magnificent story it was and then of course it made sense that it had been successful for a hundred years.

Jeremy: When I was little I watched the Disney version all the time, the cartoon was like my favourite movie other than Batman. Those were my two favourite characters when I was little, Batman and Peter Pan. I just loved the story, it’s about a kid who never grows up and has all these things he can do. He can sword fight, he can fly, he can do anything, it’s what every kid wants.

Jason: So what did you think when somebody said you might get to play it?

Jeremy: I thought this was the coolest thing in the world. I told my manager Mark ‘you’ve got to give me an audition for this part, I’ll do my best’. So I went in and he thought I was a bit too small for the part, and so I was bummed out. Pretty much later they called me back to audition with Peter Hogan the director and they said I’ve grown a bit, I’d grown an inch or so. So they had me fly to London to audition with Jason. And we were supposed to do this routine in a park for sword fighting and instead he takes me to an arcade and gives me Chinese food for a couple of hours.[Laughter]. And so they call up and say ‘are you guys ready’? And Jason’s like ‘no, give us twenty minutes’. So we rush to the park for twenty minutes and we’re really going at each other and stuff and these cops come over and say ‘what are you guys doing?’ It looked like this guy was beating on his little kid.

Jason: We went to a concert. Didn’t we go to a gig as well? There was a gig over in the corner of the park.

JS: Oh yeah, there was this big thing going on, it had like the Osbournes and they had like Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton singing and stuff. We were there for the Queen’s Jubilee so there was lots of stuff going on. I was then flown to France to audition some Wendys and Tinkerbells. And at the airport P.J. draws this picture and he says ‘what is this?’ And I say ‘its Peter Pan’. And he goes ‘no, it’s Jeremy Sumpter, you got Peter Pan.’ I’m like, really! So I’m like ‘oh my god’. And he says ‘don’t tell no one, I have to run it by the studios first’. And then I said ok, and the first thing I did was say ‘dad I got Peter Pan!’

AGW: Rachel? You are being left out. How about you?

Rachel: Well, I really really loved Peter Pan the Disney version when I was younger. And I was really jealous of Wendy because she got to fly and do amazing things. And I had a bedcover with the Peter Pan Disney version on it, and I just loved that, I just really enjoyed the story. So when I first auditioned for this film I thought I’d better read the book because I hadn’t actually read it before. So I read it and I really enjoyed it, although I found it quite hard because of old words and stuff I didn’t understand. And then when I read the script I just couldn’t believe it, I thought it was fantastic. I just thought it would be really really good fun because I couldn’t wait to learn to fly and sword fight.

AGW: Can you talk about the challenges of the sword fighting and the flying? How did you prepare for it?

Jeremy: We had a lot of difficult routines we had to learn, and the sword fighting was especially hard for me because I had to learn how to keep my knees straight. And me and Jason, we had to actually learn how to do the routines right before the shot because he didn’t have a lot of time to rehearse these scenes before we’d shoot. They’d say ‘you’ve got 15 minutes to learn this routine’.

Jason: This would be after we’d learned a different routine for three months.

Jeremy: P.J. would cut stuff out and change the whole routine, totally different and we’d have to learn it all over again. It was really difficult but the sword master said we were really good at learning it so it was no problem for them.

Jason: One of the hardest things about sword fighting is that it all comes from the feet, its all kind of footwork like boxing. It’s kind of tricky to thrust when you don’t have anything to thrust against [when you are "flying"]. I had done a lot of sword fighting before at drama school and I was ready to be the on-set expert. And at the last second Peter said to me ‘you do understand you have to fight with your left hand, don’t you?’ so that completely screwed me and I had to start from scratch. And Jeremy was embarrassingly coordinated and was within the first day wanting to have little competitions. ‘Let’s see if we can thrust through the eye of that needle there, can you hit that target over there?” It was tough for me, I found it very hard to do with my left hand.

AGW: Were there any sword-fighting accidents?

Jason: [In films] there are what you call the hero swords which are the very shiny metal ones used only for the very tight close ups. But for most of the fighting you use swords that are metal inside but they’re hard rubber on the outside. They’re pretty heavy, but if you miss a block you’re not going to put the other person in hospital. And Jeremy never wanted to use them, he always wanted to use the metal swords because they were a little bit lighter and he felt he was better with them. We had big rows about it. And every time Jeremy was like ‘just this time oh please, it’s so safe.’ One time Jeremy hit me in the face and I flew across the ship, with my feet off the ground and I was nearly knocked out. We had to stop filming because you couldn’t stick the moustache on my face with all the blood. And I said to him, ‘do think that ends the discussion about the metal’? And then he’s like ‘I’m so sorry, I’ll never do it again, I can’t believe it.’ Next morning we get in and he says ‘please can we use the metal sword?” So the toughest thing was trying to persuade Jeremy that he actually wasn’t Peter Pan and that we needed a bit of help.

AGW: Rachel, did you have any sword-fighting adventures?

Rachel: I didn’t have to do as much as Jeremy or Jason, but I’m not as strong as they are so I found it really difficult carrying the big, big swords. And when I was fighting one of the pirates, well all the pirates I thought were really really tall and they were really really strong and I was really scared they would dash my brains out!

AGW: How did you all manage all the flying?

Jason: I still can’t walk properly. Jeremy and I and Rachel spent a large part of our year in midair getting a giant wedgie from these harnesses. And it was very tough for me, it was very tough for the kids, they had to be in the brace all the time. A lot of people were passing out because it cuts all the blood off from your legs. We had the guys who did all the flying in The Matrix, all the wire work. Toward the end of the shoot, we’d been up there for hours and they’d say ‘good job, good job.’ I said well those guys [on The Matrix] must have been up there for months’. And they said, ‘no no, they used to have a break every half hour.’ And nobody told us.

Jeremy: We’d be up there for two hours at a time saying ‘take us out’. Sometimes they’d take us down for a break if we really needed it. But they really wanted to keep going for the next shot.

Jason: Because it’s a really big deal to get someone down and unstrap them. If you haven’t gone to the bathroom before, you’re up there for four hours and you’re not coming down.

AGW: Jason, maybe you can explain why Wendy’s dad and Captain Hook are the same actor, you.

Jason: The neverlands are a place inside children’s minds which have not just pirates and adventures, but first days of school and nasty tasting medicine, and math sums. It’s kind of this strange surreal land. So my interpretation is that Wendy’s placed in this horrible position where she’s told she has to grow up. And growing up in those days meant marriage and kids and knitting, there was no hanging around with an iPod and dancing in the mall. So she goes to this place, maybe in her imagination, maybe not, and in order to help her work this out there’s someone there who’s never going to grow up who represents staying childish for the rest of her life. And someone who represents the very worst and the very best things about being grown up. So there’s this repulsive creature that she’s strangely attracted to that looks a little bit like her dad, oddly enough, because who do little girls think about when they think of being married? They first think of their dads.

AGW: Peter Pan doesn’t really have a conventional family but longs for one. How do each of you feel about your families?

Rachel: Well my family is very important to me. They’ve been really supportive throughout the whole filming and publicity, which there isn’t much of but I’m sure there will be, and they’re really important to me, you know they come first. They’re just really supportive and loving, so they come very high up to me.

Jeremy: My family has been real supportive. I have a twin sister who has just turned to acting and I’ve been real supportive to her and she’s helped me throughout this whole thing. My dad especially is not only my dad but my best friend. We golf, we surf, we do everything, we play tennis together. Without my dad, the family that I have I probably wouldn’t have made it this far. I’m very proud of them and to me they’re number one in my life.

Jason: I became a dad just before this film started and now that I’m a dad I’m completely obsessed about my family. My daughter is 20 months old. Is my family important to me? When you’re lying there dying on your death bed it will not the pile of videos on the shelf that you’re looking to, it will be the people gathered around the bed. And I think that’s pretty wise.

Jeremy: Actually I was wanting to go play golf all the time in Australia with Jason. And he’d always say he can’t because he’s spending lost time with his family because when he was on set he never gets a chance to spend time with his daughter. So I’d call him all the time ‘Jason, lets go play some golf’ and he says ‘I can’t, I’m playing with Lily right now’, and I say ‘ok’. So to him, his family does come first.

AGW: Rachel and Jeremy, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Jeremy: Well, what I’ll do is have kids and boss them around. Get my driver’s licence of course. That’s what I’m really looking forward to. But I don’t want to grow up because I don’t want to take care of taxes and do contracts and that boring kind of stuff.

Jason: So you might be interested in girls when you grow up?

Jeremy: Of course, I already am.

Rachel: I’m a bit nervous about growing up and being an adult because there’s so much responsibility, but there are loads of good things that come with it as well. There are lots more privileges and things that you can do and I’m going to be a marine biologist…definitely!

Jason: When Rachel came to audition I was reading in with the potential Wendys in London, she came in the room and she was doing the scene with Captain Hook where she has dinner. And I was trying to help her into the mindset and I said ‘imagine having dinner with a big superstar, popstar or film actor’. I said ‘for instance who do you have on your wall?’ She says ‘what do you mean?’ I said, ‘well what posters do you have on your wall, do you have any boys on your wall?’ And she went, ‘no’. I said ‘well what do you have on your wall?’ She went ‘dolphins’. She’s never wavered from wanting to be a marine biologist. I suspect the best thing about doing Peter Pan was that she got to go up the coast in Australia and spend some time with dolphins.

Rachel: Yes. It was fantastic.

Jeremy: The only thing she did in school was draw dolphins too. So she loves dolphins. I actually got her a gift once that was a necklace with a dolphin on it.

AGW: Rachel, you were in school and suddenly you’re a star of a big studio movie. Can you talk about the adjustment of that for you?

Rachel: Well, at home when I go to school I have a completely normal life. I go to a normal secondary school. And my friends were really really supportive of me. And a few people have been suddenly wanting to be my best friend, you know, they’ve kind of ignored me before that. When I came back from being in Australia, there were some people who I got teased by. But mainly everyone’s just really supported me. But suddenly being in Australia, and working on a film set, it was just incredible, it was such a weird thing. And it wasn’t like I’d imagined. I imagined there would be a lot more time to relax and stuff. But if I wasn’t on set I would be in tutoring and if I wasn’t in tutoring I would be in stunts. It was just mad all the time. So it was completely different to be at school than being on the set.

AGW: So you really don’t want to do more acting?

Rachel: Well, I’d love to do a couple more films. That would be really really good fun. But I’m definitely set on being a marine biologist.

AGW: What kinds of music are you all into?

Jeremy: I like the Beatles, you know Paul McCartney, John Lennon. I like all the old stuff, you know, 70s rock and roll, 60s rock. Beach Boys, all that kind of stuff.

Rachel: I’m totally different, I like all things modern. Well, I like all kinds of music, I like mostly R & B and Hip Hop and stuff like that. That’s my favourite, that’s my style.

Jeremy: Jason likes Frank Sinatra and that kind of stuff.

Jason: Don’t tell them that!

Jeremy: Well it’s a good thing. It’s better than watching Britney Spears.

Before we interview Rachel, actually, I’d like to point out a major flaw in the film that has been bothering me ever since I saw it: No, I don’t mean a continuity error, liberty with the story, or some other kind of regular flaw that films suffer from; I am talking about history, pure and simple. The story takes place in 1818, when photography was not common, available, or even patented in the United States. Yet, there is a photograph taken of Rachel’s character Betsy Bell that is used periodically in the film as a reference for one of the characters in ‘our’ time. Now, lets talk about that for a second! It wasn’t until 1853 that Felix Toumachon opened his portrait studio in Paris, and it wasn’t even until 1837 that Louis Daguerre created images on silver-plated copper, coated with silver iodide and “developed” with warmed mercury. Daguerre was awarded a state pension by the French government in exchange for publication of methods and the rights by other French citizens to use the Daguerreotype process. But 1818? Just to point out, Andrew Jackson, president of the US in 1825, never even had his picture taken with a camera. It’s highly unlikely that the Bell family, living in a ‘wild’ territory like Tennessee in the early 1820’s, would have had their picture taken. Ever. At least not until the 1850’s. Anyway. Moving along.

Rachel Hurd-Wood is really something. She’s 16 years old and she’s already starred opposite some truly amazing actors and actresses. She has no formal acting training (which just goes to show you; you don’t really need any. Unless you’re Madonna) and accidentally found herself playing the part of Wendy in PJ Hogan’s Peter Pan, with Jeremy Sumpter. She was in the period mystery Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking for British television, and An American Haunting is out now.

The terrifying story of the Bell family is so controversial! Has Rachel ever had a ’supernatural’ experience?

‘No, I don’t believe in ghosts. I mean, no I have never had any experience with the supernatural of any kind’.

The movie version shows just one of the many possibilities played out in over 20 books on the subject. Some say it was a hoax, some say that a witch put a curse on the family; some say that demons plagued them. What does Rachel think really happened?

‘I believe that what our movie shows is what really happens. Does that make any sense? I believe our interpretation is the most real.’ I can’t give away the secrets of the plot, and neither can Rachel.

In trying to discover the real truth of the Bell story, did Rachel herself do any special research into her character? Did she look into how victims of such activity might really feel and act?

‘I didn’t want to do any research because I wanted it to be my reactions to what was happening around me. I thought that would make it seem more real.’

Make no mistake; An American Haunting isn’t a lighthearted romp through horror land. There are some really disturbing issues in the film, some of which are delicately glossed over and may shock some people. What does this film mean to Rachel, and what does she want the women who watch it to come away thinking?

‘I am probably supposed to say that it’s this deep film about something, aren’t I?’

No you’re supposed to say what YOU wanna say, Rachel. (Studios always want their talent to give really boring interviews)

‘But really, it’s just for entertainment. It’s fun, and thrilling, and scary. It’s for adventure and for thrills. Women should go see it to be entertained.’

Rachel Loves horror. She really does. Her favorite genre is horror and she has some classically good favorite horror films. She would love to be in another horror film.

‘Horror films are my favorite genre; so I would love to do a horror film. I love the classics; “The Shining”, “The Exorcist”, but my favorite favorite horror film ever has got to be “Battle Royale”.’

Rachel’s got a period thriller coming out later this year called Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. She plays a girl named Laure Richis, the daughter of Antoine Richis (played by Alan Rickman). Dustin Hoffman is also part of the ensemble cast. It has to do with perfume and murder and France etc. and the whole time everyone wears cool costumes.

‘I play the daughter of Alan Rickman, so that was a really cool experience. I play Laure the daughter of Antoine Richis, and she’s really vivacious and bubbly. She’s like a butterfly, flitting about.’

So, let’s see! she’s done Peter Pan (set in 1904), she’s done a Sherlock Holmes film (circa 1888), An American Haunting (1818) and Perfume, set somewhere in the 19th Century. Do we see a pattern? She gets to wear those cool dresses and awesome hair extensions.

‘Of course I would love to do something contemporary; and it is fun to come home and get back into my jeans! But there’s something about wearing a costume and getting into a corset that’s so fun. It’s a fantasy world, it’s like playing dress-up’

In Perfume, you’ll notice that Rachel’s’ normally honey blonde hair was dyed auburn. Hair is fun to talk about with girls.

‘They dyed my hair this bright red color, it was Bright red. It was really fun, and then afterwards, they tried really hard to get the color out as much as possible, but it still remained ginger for a while afterwards.’

So what about going platinum like Paris?

‘My hair isn’t really brown nor blond! But I would never go platinum. Ever. No way. I prefer something more natural.’

Rachel got the job as Wendy in Peter Pan on a whim. Her grandmother saw an ad on television advertising the casting. Rachel, who had never acted up until that point, gave it a whirl and got the part. The rest is history.

Even though Rachel’s Boyfriend was right next to her, when pressed for info on which young Hollywood hottie is her favorite she had an answer…

‘Hmmm. That’s a tough one. Josh Hartnett’

Josh is pretty yummy. And Rachel has some pretty hot horror co-stars in An American Haunting: check out James D’Arcy and Thom Fell.

BD: Hello Rachel and thanks for talking to Bloody-Disgusting.

RH-W: You’re very welcome.

BD: How did you first get into acting? I read you really want to be a marine biologist because you love dolphins.

RH-W: (laughs) I do love dolphins but now I plan to study art therapy because I want to work with autistic children. I got into acting when I went to an open call for ‘Peter Pan’. I still want to continue acting until I have enough money for university.

BD: Do you attend acting school as well as regular school?

RH-W: I have never taken acting classes. I go to a regular British school – we’re actually in the middle of exams right now.

BD: How did you become involved in “An American Haunting”?

RH-W: My agent sent me the script, which I thought was incredible and I called them back and said I really wanted the part of Betsy Bell. I went to 3 or 4 auditions as well as doing a screentest. I was so nervous and when I get nervous I get very hungry. I ate tons of pasta before I did my screentest (laughs).

BD: Did you do much research on the Bell Witch or Betsy Bell?

RH-W: I read Brent Monohan’s book. I really only had one week after I got the part before we went to Romania so that was the extent of my research. Plus, Betsy didn’t know what was happening to her so I didn’t want to know that much either.

BD: What was it like working with Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek?

RH-W: They were both very funny and down-to-earth. Donald was quite a presence and Sissy was very maternal, like my own mum. She would tell me to put a jumper (sweater) on. And we talked about “Carrie” too.

BD: What was Romania like?

RH-W: It’s a beautiful country but it was sad to see so much poverty. I will say the food was… interesting. And we shot the exteriors in a beautiful area – Curtea de Arges. The interiors were done in a studio in Bucharest. When I had some time off, my family took day trips to Bran Castle, where the real Dracula lived, and the real, but ruined, Castle Dracula.

BD: I heard you never used a stand-in for the attack sequences. That director Courtney Solomon actually dragged you around. Did you ever get hurt doing any of those scenes?

RH-W: We did have a stuntwoman there to advise us but I did do my own stunts. I got the odd bruise and when I was dragged across the floor, digging my fingernails into the floorboards, even though the floor was balsa, it was still quite painful. For when I was dragged up the stairs, I had a back plate on.

BD: Do you think the Bell Witch legend it true?

RH-W: Definitely. And I heard they teach the legend in Tennessee schools – that’s insane! But I will be going to Tennessee later this month (April).

BD: In your next film, “Perfume”, you play Laure Richis. What was it like working with Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman?

RH-W: I didn’t have any scenes with Dustin but I did meet him and he was very funny and sweet. Alan plays my father and he was very supportive. Plus he has a wonderful voice! In the book, my character has a small part but in the film, she is now the ultimate conquest/victim/possession for the main character. The film is set to open in the UK in September.

BD: What are some of your favorite horror movies?

RH-W: Hmm…let me look at my collection here… “The Exorcist”, “The Shining”, “Battle Royale” which was brilliant, “Carrie” and the “Scary Movie” films, although the latest one hasn’t opened here in the UK yet.

I thought the “Texas Chainsaw” remake was horrible and I hated “The Grudge” with Sarah Michelle Gellar.

BD: Do you read any horror fiction?

RH-W: Most of my reading right now is schoolbooks (laughs). I do like scary short stories. I haven’t read Stephen King yet because my parents won’t let me but I did read the “Goosebumps” series.

BD: What is one thing no one knows about Rachel Hurd-Wood that you think they should?

RH-W: I have a tiny birthmark where my face meets my left ear (laughs). Not many people know about that. I also have the coolest boyfriend in the world – Mattis, who lives in Norway.

Oh, and on the IMDb, it says that my next film is something called “Tekken”. I don’t know anything about that and I would never do such a physical film anyway. It’s got all this martial arts in it.

Rachel Hurd-Wood is a normal 15 year old girl, except for the fact that she’ll scare the heck out of you in her latest film, An American Haunting. She plays the lead in the movie, Betsy Bell, based on the true story of the Bell Witch.

The legend is known in Adams, Tennessee as the only known case of a spirit causing the death of a person. An American Haunting stars Donald Sutherland, James D’Arcy, and Sissy Spacek as the family who’s haunted by this spirit. Director, Courtney Solomon found Rachel amongst the hundreds of girls who auditioned; funny enough, Rachel was the first actress he saw.

After a world-wind week, Rachel arrived in New York from her home in London, England. I spoke with her towards the end of the day; after interview after interview, she was still in very high spirits and still very active.

My first question to her was ‘are you completely exhausted yet?’ Her response was definitely not what I was expecting. “Not at all, I’m absolutely good. It’s fun; it’s all good.”

Here’s what else we talked about:

Courtney had to make two films; have you seen both?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Yes, and I like the American version much better.

What did you think when you saw that one?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: It was very different; at first, I didn’t know how to take it. Looking back, it’s a lot sharper and it’s a lot better.

How did you get involved in this film?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I got the script sent to me by my agent and then just fell in love with it; I thought it was an awesome story, a really wonderful part, and I really wanted to play the character. From then, I auditioned several times and went through a very grueling process; eventually, I got it and felt so happy when I did.

Did Courtney tell you that you were the first person he saw?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Well, yeah, he never let on until the very last day, so by then, who cares.

So the waiting process was probably the hardest?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Um, well I thought so, but then we started filming and I thought, ‘uh, no.’

The stunt work was all you, correct?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Yes, sir.

How was doing the stunts with Courtney?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I trust the stunt people completely, because that’s their job. But when it was with Courtney, something just felt – of course, they were very protective and they needed to make sure my safety was protected. But with Courtney, I trust him completely as well and he wasn’t afraid to make things very, very horrific.

What would you say was your hardest stunt to do?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Being dragged up the stairs, that was painful, and it took all day, and it was tiring. Not only did I have to make sure I did the physical stuff, I had to cry and scream.

How did you break the tension and have fun on set?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Have fun (laughs). Well, I did my best to keep my spirits up, but of course the rest of the cast, they’re all wonderful and funny people. People were going around telling jokes and messing around; the crew was great as well, the Romanian and the British, really amusing people and they always had stories to tell. It was just good fun; people were able to keep their spirits light by just having fun and messing around.

Were you able to check out any of Dracula’s castles?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: We did, actually; we went to both castles. It was really interesting to go see. It was great cause the atmosphere was really creepy.

Have you been to Tennessee?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: No, not yet, not on this trip. But I do want to go down there at some point.

How did take on this role, being this is your first lead?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: There wasn’t much I could do; I knew from day one it was going to be really difficult. Courtney was telling me this was no walk in the park and this was a very a really difficult experience, but I was willing to take on that challenge because I was so keen on the project. So, really I knew it was going to be tough, and just did my best.

What would you say is your favorite scene?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: All the stuff on horseback because it was so much fun to do; we were with this really wonderful Spanish horse crew and everything was really, really good fun.

Are you a fan of horror films?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I am, actually; the horror genre is my favorite type of movie.

Did you know James is not a big fan of horror films?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I know, he’s such a little girl when it comes to that. He’s such an absolute girl; I’ve been lecturing him on this. But he keeps telling me, ‘I can’t see The Exorcist; I’m so scared.’ ‘Oh my gosh, grow up.’ It’s hilarious.

Did you tease him while you were shooting?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Oh, I made sure to embarrass him as often as possible.

Have you heard how the British people have responded to this film yet?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Yeah, tons of my friends went to go see it and they said they liked it – but, maybe that’s because I’m in it.

What is it about the first film, the British version, that you really like?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I liked it, but I’m definitely a bigger fan of the second; it’s just a lot better. It’s just a shame that it wasn’t released in the UK, but whatever.

Courtney described you as a young Ingrid Bergman.

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Oh, wow, that’s quite a compliment.

Who have you looked upon as some of your mentors?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: No one in particular; it’s just about doing the best I can do and following the advice given to me by my agents and my parents.

How have your parents reacted so far?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: My parents are really wonderful and really supportive; they’re really, really lovely people and they’re definitely helping me through some of the difficult times.

Do you believe in the supernatural?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: No, not particularly. I don’t believe in ghosts.

Do you like comedy as well?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I love comedy, but it has to be hysterical and really amusing; I’m not really a big fan of romantic comedies, in fact I can’t stand them. I’m really more of a fan of Team America and Dodgeball. I love all the Scary Movies; I’ve seen 1, 2, 3, but I haven’t seen 4 yet. They’re all fantastic and I’m looking forward to seeing 4.

Do you want to continue acting?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Definitely, I’d love to continue acting for as long as possible; it’d be a shame if it stops now, but at the same time, I’ve had an amazing time with what I’ve been doing. I really want to focus on school and passing my exams and then going onto college.

You’re in Perfume next; what’s that about?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Yes, sir. That’s about a guy with extraordinary smell; it’s a really bizarre story. It’s based on the novel by Patrick Suskind. That’s coming out in September and that’s something you should definitely see.

Who do you play in that?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I play a character called Laure Richis, she’s really vivacious and a wonderful character and just really interesting to play.

What do want people to know about this film?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: It’s entertainment in a crazy kind of way; it’s a horror film, but it’s not gory, but it’s definitely one to go see. It’s fantastic, and it’s very real.

Have you seen the posters in London?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Yeah, it’s crazy; they’re on the side of busses and stuff.

What’s that like to see yourself on the side of a bus?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: It’s a bit cool, it’s quite the thrill.

Have people been walking by and have to do a double take when they see you?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: Oh, of course not; I don’t look anything like I do in that shot. When you’re walking down the street in London, you’re not particularly looking for people like that; I’m just one of the crowd.

Would you ever move over here to the States?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: No, I like it here.

Do you have anything after Perfume?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I’m not sure; I’m open minded about the whole thing, but if there’s nothing I’ll just focus on school. I’ll take it as it comes.

Is there a role you would want to play?

Rachel Hurd-Wood: I’d like to something a little more contemporary; that would be interesting because I haven’t really done period pieces. But it would definitely be good to do a modern thing. It really depends on the role, but I’d be happy to play anything.

Rachel Hurd-Wood (who made her feature film debut in 2003’s acclaimed retelling of Peter Pan) delivers a fantastic and nuanced performance as Betsy Bell, the very central role that essentially carries the entire movie. In this interview, the young UK-based actress talks about working on An American Haunting, preparing for a career outside of acting, enjoying horror movies, and getting into character for yet another pivotal role.

RadioFree.com: I understand we didn’t see you last week with Courtney Solomon and co-star James D’Arcy because you were back in the UK taking exams…

RACHEL: Well, not quite taking them yet, but soon. I’ve got so much school work. You know, my school said, “She’s only allowed one week, and that’s it!”

I have to commend you, because preparing for tests seems like a lot less fun than jetting off to Los Angeles to promote your film…

You’re damned right! It sucks! [laughs]

In Peter Pan, when your character Wendy joins the pirates, she says, “I could not be expected to pillage!” Since you could not be expected to make a living out of pillaging either, what school subjects are you planning to study down the line?

[laughs] I’ll be taking art and design, psychology, and English language. Those are my three best subjects.

And where does acting fit it with all of this? Do you plan on sticking with it?

Well, as much as possible, but I’m more interested in working with autistic children, because that’s just something that I find really fascinating and I know I’d be good at.

When did you develop that interest?

When I was younger, I wanted to work with dolphins and be a marine biologist. But then around two years ago, I just decided that that wasn’t really the thing for me, because you have to be really good at science and stuff, and I’m not. [laughs] I know [science has to do with] the job I want to do now, but it’s more a psychology-based course…

What attracted you to your American Haunting role of Betsy?

She’s an amazing character. She stays strong throughout the whole horrible ordeal, and that’s something I really respected. I found her to be quite similar to myself, so I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone else playing her. [laughs]

In what way is she similar to you?

Well, she’s definitely outgoing. At the beginning, she’s very outgoing, very sure of herself, and very confident and everything. But then there are moments, especially when everything happens to her, she’s so tired all the time (which is another trait that we bear in common), and then she becomes very introverted and very withdrawn, but she’s still strong–she doesn’t like go and commit suicide or anything.

Speaking of being tired, one of the movie’s most memorable lines is when Betsy says, “I am tired. Our house makes strange noises at night.” Were you actually tired when you said that line, or did it require a lot of takes to feign that exhaustion just right?

Hey, no, I was tired. And the funny thing is there’s actually a pause in between that because I ran out of breath. And I’m really embarrassed now because every time I see that, there’s this massive pause in between because I was yawning. I was trying to hold it in. I don’t sleep at night, you see. I’m one of these people that I just get very limited sleep at night and then end up napping throughout the day. [laughs]

You had to compete against a lot of other actresses for the role. What was the casting process like?

I had to work quite hard for it. At the beginning, Courtney was saying, “You’re not doing enough work. You need to really get your act together and sort this out.” Because I needed to get the accent good, and I needed to show him that I could play the role. And so there was a lot of preparation work to do. But in the end, it all came good, so I was very pleased.

Is it true Courtney told you to “shut up” during your audition?

Yeah. I have a habit of just going on for ages when I’m allowed to. When I first saw Courtney, I just was so nervous because I really wanted the role, and so as soon as I went in there, I just started babbling and just started going on and on and on about completely irrelevant things. And he was just like, “Shut up.” And I was like, [surprised] “Ooooh!”

This movie was shot in Romania. Do you enjoy traveling abroad?

I love to. It’s great. I mean, the actual traveling bit itself, like going on the plane and all that, is boring, but being in different countries is fantastic. And yeah, Romania was very different than anything I had ever experienced before. But it was good.

What was it like?

At the beginning, it was really hot. We were just wandering around in t-shirts and shorts. But then towards the end, it got freezingly cold, and on location in the middle of Romanian nowhere, it was knee-deep in mud, and you needed boots and coats and scarves and hats and everything. It was pretty cold, but it was a good experience. It was very different to England.

What was your experience like working with Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek (especially since she also played a girl afflicted by the paranormal in Carrie)?

Oh, Sissy’s such a lovely lady. She’s really motherly, she’s always ensuring that I was warm when I went outside, and drinking enough and eating enough and everything. She’s just such a sweet lady. And she taught me how to scream. Little nuances, little tricks that she’d teach me all the time. Not really stuff you can explain. Just watching those two, you get so much of an education, it was like spending years in film school. [laughs]

In both Peter Pan and An American Haunting, you get pulled around by your hair in your nightgown, although one film plays it for comedy, while the other (obviously) plays it for horror. Did that sort of stuntwork on Pan help prepare you for the stuntwork on Haunting?

Of course, because we spent absolutely ages on wires and everything. So every time now, if I go climbing or anything like that, I’m so used to being in the harness that it’s sort of like a familiarity for the pinch of the harness and everything. Everyone else is complaining about it. It’s like, “Oh, dude, what is your problem?” [laughs] But yeah, it’s absolutely fine. It definitely gave me a grounding in the whole stunt thing, but I’m definitely no stuntwoman. [laughs]

Were those physical scenes rougher in Haunting than Pan?

Yeah, because it’s more dynamic. On Peter Pan, it was just long hours in the harness and lots of flying, and it was more about holding us up in various positions and stuff. But then with American Haunting, it was more about being dragged around, thrown around, slapped about, and all that kind of stuff.

You made it through without any serious injuries, I trust?

I didn’t get injured once! I got the odd scrape, but other than that, I was absolutely fine.

What is your own belief in the paranormal?

I don’t really have any beliefs in the paranormal. I mean, I’ve never had any contact with ghosts or anything like that. But I’m sure I would be more open-minded and think differently had I.

So you have no ghost stories of your own? Or even ghost stories that you make up for interviews like this?

Uh, no. I don’t do that. [laughs]

Do you have any favorite horror movies?

Oh, my favorite horror movie of all time is Battle Royale. It’s kick ass. [laughs]

For those who are unfamiliar with it, what’s that about?

It’s quite gory actually. It’s a psychological thriller with blood and guts and gore. It’s about Japanese teenagers who get sent to this island, basically, and told that there has to be one survivor by the end of it, and they’ve got three days with which to do so. I love the story so much and it’s really, really fantastic.

Did you always like horror movies, or were you scared of them as a little kid?

Well, I remember even watching Beauty and the Beast would always make me scared. [laughs] But when I got older…I love horror movies. They’re my favorite genre.

Can you tell us a little about your part in the upcoming film Perfume?

My role is a girl called Laure Richis. She’s the daughter of Antoine Richis. She’s really vivacious, and I imagine her to be like a butterfly. She’s always trying to get away and escape, and her father’s always there to try and bring her down, and protect her and everything. It’s a really interesting story.

Did you enjoy being transformed into a redhead for that role?

Yeah, it was fun! I loved the color they dyed it originally. It was really deep red, but then it kind of clashed with my school uniform, which is maroon. I wanted to get my hair cut and just change from the red and everything, because my own hair’s brown, so when it started to grow out, it looked gross. So they took as much of the color out as possible, but it remained slightly ginger, which I wasn’t too pleased about, but I dealt with it. [laughs]

Actresses frequently talk about having problems with corsets. Did you have any trouble with the one you had to wear?

No! I don’t know what people are crying about. It was in the south of France and Spain in these really extravagant costumes, but I loved it because it was just a real experience. And I didn’t really find it too bad. You know, you have to get used to it. Especially around lunch time, it sucked because they untie it, but you know you’ve got to get back into the corset–if you eat too much, it’s like [groans].

I guess after all the stunts in An American Haunting, a corset is nothing, right?

Exactly! [laughs]

Thanks for your time.

You’re welcome. Thank you.

Best of luck on future projects. Maybe we’ll see you in LA at some point.

Yes, sir! Take care.

While filming Peter Pan and having to subsequently keep quiet about the secrets of this new version, she is nowadays most excited to talk about her remarkable experiences since she was cast.

IGNFF: Lucky you! You get to do all this traveling and talk about Peter Pan.

RACHEL HURD-WOOD: Yes, it’s fantastic!

IGNFF: Is this your first time in New York?

HURD-WOOD: Yes, we got into New York last night. It’s fantastic! I didn’t have time to really do very much last night. We arrived at the hotel and we got to see Jeremy [Sumpter] and his family, which was really, really good. And then today Jeremy and I have just come down to do a Nickelodeon interview.

IGNFF: Oh, great! A television interview. How’d it go?

HURD-WOOD: That was really, really fun. I was a bit nervous about it, but it was fun.

IGNFF: Phone interviews are easy, nothing to worry about.

HURD-WOOD: (Laughs) Yes. After this New York trip I’ll be going home, and then I will be going back to L.A. and things will get really hectic.

IGNFF: Well, maybe you’ll get to do some interviews in London, too?

HURD-WOOD: Yeah, I hope so! I’ve done a couple of phone interviews at home as well.

IGNFF: This is your first movie, Peter Pan – it must be so exciting for you.

HURD-WOOD: Definitely! This is my first movie, this is my first acting really I’ve ever done. So, it’s especially exciting.

IGNFF: For our readers, can you tell everyone a little bit about yourself? Where are you from? And how in the world did this whole Peter Pan adventure happen?

HURD-WOOD: I live in Surrey, but up until the age of eight I lived in London. And the way I heard about this Peter Pan film was there was an open-call audition that I’d heard about, or read about, and I just thought, ‘Oh, I’ll go along for the fun.’ Because I never dreamed in a million years I’d ever get it. And I’ve always liked drama; I’ve always found it really fun, like, I did go to drama club and things like that. But I never thought I’d get it. I just, when the film came out I wanted to be able to say, ‘Oh, yeah! I auditioned for that part!’

So I went along, and I got a recall, and I was just really, really happy. And then I kept getting recalls, so I kept going back to further auditions, and it was just completely mad.

IGNFF: What was the process? Introductions, photos then hopefully a call back?

HURD-WOOD: Yes. On the first one, I just basically told the casting lady about myself and she took photos and stuff. Then on the second one she gave me lines to rehearse for the next audition, so I rehearsed them and I just spoke them out. And then on the third one I was with Jason Isaacs, who plays Captain Hook. And I did an audition with him and I was really nervous about auditioning with him.

IGNFF: Must have been really cool to do a reading with Jason Isaacs.

HURD-WOOD: He is just one of the nicest people you’ve ever met. You can’t believe how down-to-earth he is. He’s doesn’t go about at all like a movie star. He’s amazingly professional and brilliant actor, and he’s just so natural.

IGNFF: And the awesome news… What did you think when you got the part?

HURD-WOOD: I just couldn’t believe it!

It was the first thing in the morning. Because by that point, by the third audition, I thought ‘I could have made it!’ So, they called my mom up. I was actually in bed; because it was early in the morning and I wasn’t going in to school that day because our school was closed.

IGNFF: She woke you up then?

HURD-WOOD: Basically, my mom came in and woke me and said, ‘They’ve made an offer!’ And I was totally, ugh… I was ecstatic! I couldn’t believe it! It was amazing!

IGNFF: And now you’ve traveled to Australia and elsewhere for this movie.

HURD-WOOD: It was brilliant! I loved Australia!

IGNFF: Had you ever been there before?

HURD-WOOD: Never. I had never been anywhere very exotic. All my friends had been to Florida and things like that in America. But basically the farthest I had ever been was Italy, which is not far at all.

IGNFF: Did your mom and dad get to come down to Australia with you? Or did any of your family get to come along, too?

HURD-WOOD: Yes, my parents came with me and my brother. It was my dad who took me out there originally; then my mother and my brother came and my dad left to go back to work, and he visited five or six times, which was really good; and he’d stay for a couple of weeks, then towards the end he just stayed for the rest of the time.

IGNFF: How long were you in Australia? How long did you work on the movie?

HURD-WOOD: The filming was eight months and I was there for eight months. There was a bit more which Jeremy and Jason were doing for postproduction things, and then they went to L.A. to do a little more filming. But I’d gone home by that point.

IGNFF: You also got to work with an acting coach? This being your first film. And that was in Los Angeles?

HURD-WOOD: Yes. I had already been there after the screen test, straight away after the screen test. I went to meet the producers and work with John Curly, the acting coach. And I did some acting classes with him, and that was really good.

IGNFF: Tell me about this fella P.J. Hogan, what’s with him?

HURD-WOOD: (Laughs) P.J., he’s a brilliant director.

IGNFF: Must have been really cool being able working with him.

HURD-WOOD: He just knows exactly how to direct and he’s brilliant working with children. I mean, he never lost his patience. And when he gave you directions, you knew exactly what he meant by them. So, it was really, really good working with him.

IGNFF: I can imagine that the sets must have been fantastic. They really look stupendous.

HURD-WOOD: Oh, especially the Neverland set! It was like being in a jungle. It was just incredible. Sometimes I actually got lost in it (laughs).

IGNFF: No, really?

HURD-WOOD: I did! (Laughs) There were all these huge trees, and then people would say, ‘Over here! Over here! I’m over here’ and I would just be like ‘I don’t know where to go!’

IGNFF: Lost Wendy there. Hey, talking about getting lost, you got work with the Lost Boys, didn’t you? Did you become one of the Lost Boys?

HURD-WOOD: Yes. They were all really great boys. They were all really good fun to work with.

At first I was lacking female company, you know, girls my age, and hanging out with Jeremy and stuff, which was of course brilliant. But I kind of missed having friends, which were female. And then Carson Gray, who plays Tiger Lily, came along, and we became really close friends. And we’d go swimming every day in the pool after work and it was just really, really good.

IGNFF: When you weren’t working on the movie, what did you all do that was fun?

HURD-WOOD: Jeremy wasn’t staying at our hotel, Magic Mountain; he was staying at a separate house. So, we didn’t get to see him as often off set. But basically we’d go swimming or go down to the beach, or sometimes we’d arrange outings. We did one to a wildlife sanctuary. We got to do some really cool stuff.

IGNFF: Can you tell me, what is it that you like about Wendy? What is it that makes Wendy interesting and fun?

HURD-WOOD: Well there are many layers to her character, I think, because she’s a girl just on the edge of being… you know, she’s still a child, but she then she’s suddenly been introduced to this grown-up way of thinking. But she doesn’t want to be a grown-up, she doesn’t want to grow-up herself. So, there are many layers. She’s very adventurous and outgoing, but then she can quite feminine, quite girly at times as well. So she’s quite a deep character, I think.

IGNFF: Wendy gets in her share of action, too. You got to do some sword fighting?

HURD-WOOD: Yes, I did. I didn’t get as much training time as I would have liked, because I was always really busy on set. And so there was barely ever any time for training, I mean, there was barely enough time for tutoring – that got priority. But yes, so I did do some training, which was really, really fun. But it could be quite tiring.

IGNFF: Now, you haven’t seen the completed movie as yet, but have you seen some of the flying scenes or the stunts you got to do?

HURD-WOOD: Well, P.J. didn’t allow us to look at the… you know, when they show it back at everyone every night, because he thought that if we saw it it might affect our performances. I totally agree with that. I think that was the right thing to do. So, I didn’t get to see too much of it, but what I did see, you know when Peter was looking over at his monitor, when I would sneak a look (laughs), when I saw what I looked like I was actually quite impressed with what I’d done, because I had no idea what I was doing (laughs) and so I was quite pleased.

IGNFF: Of all the things that you did on the movie, what was the most fun for you to film?

HURD-WOOD: The most fun to film? Well that would probably be bouncing down the clouds. That was really, really good fun.

IGNFF: Bouncing down the clouds?

HURD-WOOD: Bouncing down clouds; what were some of the flying scenes where I got to go up really high.

There was once when I had to do one with Jeremy and we both went up really high, and it was slightly scary because we both went up to the top of the soundstage (laughs). And it was really, really good fun!

IGNFF: You also did sort of a fly over London?

HURD-WOOD: Oh, yes, yes! We did that all in front of a blue screen, really.

IGNFF: Just for fun, let me ask you the opposite, what was the worst, most agonizing scene to do? If there was anything that could be agonizing about filming Peter Pan.

HURD-WOOD: (Laughs) Yes! There was. Well, I’m not going to give away the line, but there was one scene where I’m on the pirate ship and I was tied to the mast, and I had to say this line – and when you see the movie you’ll know exactly what I mean, I don’t want to give it away. And I’m yelling out this line, and I said it so many times. And I just had to do it again and again and again; many takes, shouting. It was really tiring. So, when I had to come in and do ADR – looping – I had to do tons of that line again. But you know, it was a good line, but it just a bit boring.

IGNFF: I’m sure it’ll come across effectively in the movie.

HURD-WOOD: Oh, I hope so. (Laughs)

Many feminists have complained that Howard demeaned women, and in his Kane tales that’s probably true (although he also wrote the Conan the Barbarian books, and there’s nothing subservient about Red Sonja). But this is the 21st century, so in the latest film version of the stories, the heroine, as played by 17-year-old Rachel Hurd-Wood, is not so much a damsel in distress as a very feisty young woman who doesn’t think she needs a hero to ‘rescue’ her.

In Solomon Kane, the first part of a possible trilogy that’s shooting now in the Czech Republic, the 16th-century eponymous adventurer is played by James Purefoy who, when I bumped into him, was all pumped up.

His head was shaved and there was a livid scar on his forehead – the result of a sword fight with a mighty big stunt guy. ‘Five stitches!’ Purefoy laughed, adding that he had earlier inflicted a similar injury upon another stuntman. Anyway, Kane travels across the blue salt sea to rescue Ms Hurd-Wood (she was Wendy in Peter Pan a couple of years back) from crazed ghouls led by Jason Flemyng.

Director Michael J. Bassett, who also wrote the screenplay, is into extreme measures, so his cast and crew have been working in the cold, the rain, and as much mud as possible.

But, of course, no amount of mud could diminish our heroine’s beauty.

I think that last line’s from the 1930s as well…