Without spoiling anything, I want to go on the record to say that Georgie Banks is my favorite character in Mary Poppins Returns. There, I said it. In this exclusive interview with Pixie Davies and Joel Dawson, you’ll understand why the Banks kids are the true heart of this film.
Pixie Davies plays Anabel Banks, and Joel Dawson plays Georgie Banks. Nathanael Selah, who plays Michael Banks, was on location during our interview sessions with the cast, so we weren’t able to chat with him. But, Pixie and Joel shared the inside scoop about Mary Poppins Returns, and what it was like to be the kids casted in this soon-to-be iconic film.
The Whimsy of The Banks Kids – Pixie Davies and Joel Dawson
The Fun Of Filming
In Mary Poppins Returns, the younger Banks kids go on an animated adventure around the middle of the film. We learned that Pixie, Joel and Nathanael loved filming this part of the movie, and Pixie shared the big reason why it felt so real.
“That was so much fun! Because the music was being played, I felt like we were actually in a chase, and it was awesome.”
Joel surprisingly had a favorite part of filming, considering all of the cool and exciting scenes he experienced. His favorite scene? His time with the iconic kite.
“I really liked the part when I had to dive through the bushes, and then got dragged along by the kite. That was a really fun scene.”
Pixie said she loved watching Trip A Little Light Fantastic, because the dancing was incredible and the scene gets better every time.
Getting The Part
Pixie said she felt like she was going to burst when she found out she got the part. Joel shared al the details of the day he found out he would be playing little Georgie Banks.
“My agent already knew, so she came over. (Director) Rob Marshall called me and said we want you to have the part. I had it on speakerphone, and everyone was just so silent, and my eyes were watering. My mum was squealing after the phone call.”
The Magical Tent During Downtime
When the kids had downtime during filming, they spent most of it doing schoolwork. But, according to Pixie, they did have a magical tent to visit.
“We had quite a lot of fun. We had tents, and there was the most magical place on earth. There was lots of food, and it was great.”
Joel shared that there was even a special chocolate foundation, with marshmallow dippers, they enjoyed one of the days of filming. A child’s dream come to life.
The Best Song Of The Film…According To Pixie and Joel
You would think asking these two amazing actors to name their favorite Mary Poppins Returns song would stump them. They answered almost immediately, and both agreed that the opening melody, Underneath The London Sky, was the clear winner.
How precious are these two! We so enjoyed spending time with them, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for them in the future.