Warning: this article includes spoilers for Paddington in Peru.
Paddington in Peru’s recasting of Sally Hawkins includes an unexpected element. The new movie sees Paddington travel to Peru in order to look for Aunt Lucy, who supposedly began acting strangely before becoming lost in the Peruvian Amazon. As Paddington and the Brown family make their way through the jungle, they encounter new foes and eventually find El Dorado, where Paddington meets other bears like himself, but in Paddington in Peru‘s ending, he ultimately makes the choice to stay with the Browns.
Unsurprisingly, Paddington in Peru has received great reviews like its predecessors, despite arguably being the weakest of the series, proving just how great all three films are. The charming and wholesome aspects characteristic of the previous movies also appear in the newest installation, making it perfect for the whole family. However, one of the biggest changes that audiences have noticed in the third Paddington is that Mrs. Brown was recast for Paddington in Peru, with Emily Mortimer replacing Sally Hawkins.
Paddington In Peru Seemingly Had Emily Mortimer Re-Record Some Sally Hawkins Lines From The First Movie
The Original Dialogue Now Sounds Like Mortimer
After Paddington meets all his bear relatives, he must make a choice between staying in Peru with them and returning to London with the Browns. Upon reflecting on his experiences, he decides to return to London to continue living with the Browns, setting up a potential story for the recently confirmed Paddington 4, at the same time, with an open invitation for the other bears to visit and later a surprise cameo. During these reflective moments, Paddington in Peru‘s ending also includes a flashback to the first movie, particularly to Paddington’s initial interactions with Mrs. Brown.
Having Mortimer rerecord those lines helps give the film a sense of continuity for Mortimer’s portrayal of the character, but it does feel slightly strange to know it is not quite the original.
In Paddington in Peru‘s flashback sequence, the dialogue between Mrs. Brown and Paddington during their first meeting remained the same, but the voice sounds like Emily Mortimer rather than Sally Hawkins. This flashback is an important moment because it reflects on the time that Paddington has spent with the Browns and how he came to be accepted into their family largely through Mrs. Brown’s kindness. Having Mortimer rerecord those lines helps give the film a sense of continuity for her portrayal of the character, but it does feel slightly strange to know it is not quite the original.
Paddington In Peru Had To Hide Sally Hawkins’ Mrs Brown After The Recast
Paddington In Peru Understandably Did Not Want To Show 2 Different Mrs. Browns
Paddington in Peru‘s flashback scene seemingly changed not only who was saying the dialogue from the original movie, but it also edited the scene from the original movie to avoid showing Sally Hawkins. Because the original scene starts out from Paddington’s eye level, viewers are introduced to Mrs. Brown from just a sH๏τ of her legs before she bends down to Paddington’s level and Sally Hawkins can fully be seen. The same scene that is used in Paddington in Peru does not show Mrs. Brown in full, instead, it only shows her legs.
Obviously, audiences know that it would have been Sally Hawkins in this scene, but if Paddington in Peru were to show the original Mrs. Brown actor for even a short scene, it would make the recasting even stranger. Likewise, if the newest Paddington movie were to have Emily Mortimer redo the scene, it would have felt just as jarring. While the rerecorded dialogue and editing of Mrs. Brown and Paddington’s meeting does change the original scene slightly, it actually seems like it was the best option for Paddington in Peru to use the scene without it distracting audiences too much.
Paddington In Peru’s Flashback Proves Sally Hawkins Should Have Returned
Mortimer Is Great But Sally Hawkins Will Always Be The Original
Sally Hawkins elected not to return for Paddington in Peru of her own volition. Making that choice is always a respectable one for an actor, but it is sad to see her go. Hawkins made it clear that she felt her time in the role was over and was happy to let someone else step in as Mrs. Brown. Though her decision to leave the role and focus on other projects and her own life makes complete sense, it still would have been great to see Hawkins return to the role because of how perfect she was as Mrs. Brown.
Emily Mortimer does a great job as the new Mrs. Brown, but it is simply hard to see anyone else as Paddington’s adoptive mother. Hawkins’ version was perfectly cheerful, kind, and quirky, and the movie would have benefited from her presence. If anything, Hawkins should have remained until at least the conclusion of Paddington in Peru. However, since the fourth Paddington movie has already been confirmed, and it seems likely that Mrs. Brown will make another appearance, Paddington in Peru‘s casting change may give Mortimer a chance to cement herself further as the new Mrs. Brown.
