For Christmas 2003, the boy who wouldn’t grow up soared across movie screens with three motion-picture studios. Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios joined forces to create the first live-action version of JM Barrie’s enduring classic ‘Peter Pan’. One of the revolutionary and defining elements of this adaptation is that for the first time in any version of the tale, a boy plays the title role of Peter Pan. The filmmakers conducted a worldwide casting search to find the young actor who would embody Peter Pan. Director PJ Hogan states that, “I knew as Jeremy walked through the door that he was it.” Jeremy Sumpter was born on February 5, 1989, in Carmel, California. He spent most of his childhood in a small town in Kentucky. At age six, he was the youngest child in Kentucky to be accepted into the state’s gifted Arts programme. His first grade teacher noticed that if you looked closely at his artwork, all you saw were blobs with very similar colours; but stepping back, it all blended together to make interesting pictures. Some of his artwork was exhibited in a local art gallery.

Jeremy was not particularly interested in acting when he was younger. He did agree however to try out on the condition that if nothing happened, he would not have to ever try again. He was cast in ‘Frailty’, ‘Just A Dream’ and ‘Local Boys’. After a worldwide search, Jeremy was cast as Peter Pan. Seemingly fearless, at a young age Jeremy would often trek into the woods near his home climbing trees, and bringing home large snapping turtles to adopt as pets. Looking collected and ready to relax, Sumpter talks about being the boy who never grew up.

What can we expect from ‘Peter Pan’?

This movie has everything a person wants in a movie. It has action, it has love, it has drama and it has adventure. It’s a movie for all ages.

What was your hardest thing to do?

The hardest thing to do was flying because I was on the wires everyday. You had to look like the perfect flyer that Peter Pan is. It was very difficult. When we were filming, I thought that I was Peter Pan, you know? I thought I was the coolest kid in the world, so I wound up being the coolest kid in the world.

What kind of training did you have to go through for ‘Peter Pan’?

I had to train for five months before the shoot. I had to do harness training to learn how to fly and learn how to swordfight. It was really difficult. You had to get some back muscles and some abs and stuff so you can actually hold yourself in the air. It was hard work. We trained for four or five hours a day, and in that period I had to do school.

What kind of training did you have to go through for ‘Peter Pan’?

I had to train for five months before the shoot. I had to do harness training to learn how to fly and learn how to swordfight. It was really difficult. You had to get some back muscles and some abs and stuff so you can actually hold yourself in the air. It was hard work. We trained for four or five hours a day, and in that period I had to do school. Even with all the training,

Even with all the training, were there any accidents?

I got stabbed a couple of times with a sword. I actually have a scar here (indicating his side) to prove it (laughing). It’s a little scar but… We were doing a scene, me and Jason were coming back blindfolded, and I actually hit him right on his upper lip with a sword. It knocked him on his back. His lip went, “Poof” (indicating blood flying).

Is it true that during the filming of ‘Peter Pan’ you actually grew more than six inches?

Yeah, I grew eight inches on set. I guess it was the fairy dust that made me grow that much (laughing). I don’t know. They had to change the window four different times so that when I walked through it, I wouldn’t hit my head.

What’s next for you?

I have been getting a lot of great scripts, but I am looking for a little bit of a vacation with my family.

Peter Pan trivia

•Following tradition (in both theatre and film), the actor portraying Captain Hook is the same actor portraying Mr Darling (Wendy’s father). In this case, it’s Jason Isaacs.

•With the exception of the Russian version, Piter Pan (1987) (TV), this is the first live action adaptation of JM Barrie’s story to feature a male in the role of Peter.

•Jeremy Sumpter went from 5 feet tall to 5’ 8” during filming. The window of the nursery had to be rebuilt four times because the actor kept hitting his head on it.

•Both Rachel Hurd-Wood (Wendy) and Jeremy Sumpter had to be hospitalised at different points in filming due to injury and exhaustion.