Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy on rebooting Enid Blyton: ‘You can be responsible, or stay true to outdated ideas’ Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, who play doting parents in the new film adaptation of The Magic Faraway Tree, speak to Louis Chilton about the joyful production, their decade-long friendship, and the approach taken to Enid Blyton’s problematic elements. It has been a few months since filming wrapped on the family film The Magic Faraway Tree, and the two stars seem to have a relaxed, contented air about them. “It was nice,” says Claire Foy, serenely. “I felt quite relieved to be playing a version of a mother that didn’t have to come with a whole side of trauma and grief.” Andrew Garfield nods. “I think joy was the priority,” he says. “It felt very, very different to whatever hell I usually experience as the character I’m playing.” Foy and Garfield have been through a lot lately. Foy has recently appeared in films like H is for Hawk, All of Us Strangers, and Women Talking, all of which deal with themes of grief. Garfield, meanwhile, has been seen in After the Hunt as a predatory college professor and in We Live in Time as the husband of a woman with cancer. Even in Spider-Man: No Way Home, his character was heavily emotional. The Magic Faraway Tree, adapted and updated from Enid Blyton’s classic children’s novel, offers a welcome respite. The film follows the Thompson family: Polly (Foy), Tim (Garfield), and their three children, who discover a magical tree in the woods. The film, written by Simon Farnaby, is a gentle, colorful story filled with joy. “It’s a warm hug in a warm bath... consensually,” laughs Garfield. “Spiritually.” Both actors seem genuinely excited when talking about their child co-stars. “They’re the least precocious children you could ever meet,” says Foy. “So grounded.#andrew_garfield #claire_foy #the_magic_faraway_tree #simon_farnaby #enid_blyton
