‘Terabithia’ director, actors find friendship in film

By Rebecca Bostic, The Catholic Sun
February 15, 2007

Creating family films from children’s books is a common practice. Yet while many books are turned into movies, few reflect the spirit and themes of the story told through the words on a page instead of special effects or animation.

That said, Walt Disney Pictures’ “Bridge to Terabithia,” based on Katherine Paterson’s renowned book, stays surprisingly close to the story and heart of the original tale weaved in the 1970s.

“Bridge to Terabithia,” in theaters Feb. 16, is the touching tale of two adolescent outcasts who find meaning and purpose despite challenging circumstances. They do this through their control over an imaginary world called Terabithia.

Jess and Leslie dream up and fight for the land of Terabithia in the midst of a budding friendship that is pitted against real and imaginary trials.

The “Bridge to Terabithia” story drew director Gabor Csupo to the project. His agent sent him about 20 screenplays and books, but he didn’t like any of them. Then, according to Csupo, he discovered “Bridge to Terabithia.”

“I read the book and it moved me so much that I called him [his agent] back the next morning. When he picked up the phone I said, ‘yeah this is great,’” Csupo said of Paterson’s novel.

Josh Hutcherson, who plays Jess, and Annasophia Robb, who plays Leslie — the adolescent stars of the film — both agree that the book has a magical quality that creates a special world for the readers.

“After I read the script, after I read the book, I thought it was great how they kept all the same heart of the book, but at the same time they added in some visual stuff to make it more visually interesting,” Hutcherson said.

Robb claims that one of the reasons she wanted to do this project was “because they kept it so close to the book.”

Paterson admits that she had her concerns about allowing her book to become a feature film, but she liked the script and even approved it prior to the shooting of the film.

One thing that worried Paterson was the use of special effects. But in the end, the author was satisfied.

“I think that Gabor and everyone else responsible were very aware that unlike ‘Narnia’ — in which they walk through a wardrobe and they come into another land — this is a land that is created out of the children’s imagination,” she said.

“It’s not a separate land. It’s something that comes from inside them and I think that is beautifully conveyed in the film,” Paterson added.

From the beginning Csupo was very clear that his intentions were not to make a film heavy on special effects, but to tell a highly imaginative and creative tale.

“Instinctively it called out to me because I thought, ‘I’m gonna be able to really create the magical, crazy world and fantasy land of Terabithia,’” Csupo said. “What I really responded to was the story itself, because I loved it so much.”

Beyond encouraging the pursuit of imagination, “Bridge to Terabithia” also focuses on the importance of true friendship through Jess and Leslie’s unique relationship.

“Another message in this film is that boys and girls totally can be friends without having any of that sort of attraction” to one another, Robb said. “Their relationship is so special because they’re such good friends and they’re not uncomfortable around each other for that reason.”

“What is really great about this movie is that it was so on the edge between friendship and love,” Hutcherson added. “It was such a strong friendship that it was kind of a love in a way. Not a boyfriend-girlfriend love, but a best-friend love.”

The real life friends Robb and Hutcherson immensely enjoyed working together during the filming of “Bridge to Terabithia.” As they fought trolls, mythical creatures and school-yard bullies, they learned to live life to the fullest.

“That’s one of the beautiful messages of the book and the movie — to appreciate life and everything you have around you,” Csupo said. “Everybody has some good in him and if you have the power to unleash that beauty and goodness in anybody, then you can connect with him and make him a better person.”