Based on the best-selling book by Cornelia Funke, Inkheart follows the magical adventures of Mo “Silvertongue” Folchart, a young father with the talent to bring characters out of books when he reads them aloud. Produced by New Line Cinema, it stars Brendan Fraser. In an exclusive interview, Fraser and co-stars Paul Bettan, Eliza Bennett and Andy Serkis talk about life, the impact of Funke’s story and universal appeal of his family-friendly film filled with spectacular action scenes and amusing twists.
Were you a fan of the book before tackling the film?
Brendan: “I think it’s a good book because, for one thing, in this age when we have so many different formats of media distribution does anyone read aloud to their kids anymore? I hope they do. I have three small boys and I’m normally reading about shapes and colors right now because they’re really small. But we’ll graduate to a book like Inkheart, for instance, which is meant to be read aloud. It’s a story about a man who has the unusual ability to realize elements of the story that he reads aloud — for better or for worse. But that’s the story within the story. I think that as a work of literature, it’s a promotion of, and I think it advocates, literacy.”
Eliza, this is quite a cast to be playing opposite…
Eliza: “I mean, it’s great. When I heard about the film the only actor that I knew was going to be in it was Brendan because he said like three years ago that he was going to do this because he’s friends with Cornelia Funke. So it was really, really exciting. And I enjoyed working with him.”
Is it true the author had you in mind, that you were an inspiration for her?
Brendan: “That’s what she told me. She’d be better at answering that question than I am, but I’m flattered that she said that. Shucks, what can you say? Yes is the answer. I’ll leave it at that.”
Paul, you’ve played traditional heroes and villains in films. Your character Dustfinger, sort of walks that line. Is that more interesting for you to play?
Paul: “Well, what’s interesting to me is that he’s sort of an opportunist, but who desperately wants to go home. He didn’t ask to be here and sort of every moment in the film that we see him he’s just trying to get home, to what you realize later on in the film is his family. That’s how I often feel when making films.”
There is an inherent sadness to the characters as it’s written…
Paul: “Yeah, and he doesn’t state what he wants. You’re like, ‘What does he want?’ And he’s sort of intense and what is it he’s after, and then you realize that he just wants to get home to his kids…”
Brendan: “It’s about reuniting families.”
Inkheart opens Jan. 28 in theaters.