'He brings alive everybody he acts with': Beloved star who made the late Queen Elizabeth 'shine'

Paddington Bear became a symbol of Queen Elizabeth's reign, with toy bears left in tribute across London following her death in September 2022.

That's because just months earlier, during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the then-monarch took part in a fun sketch acting opposite the bear as they sipped tea inside Buckingham Palace.

Paddington producer Rosie Alison tells 9honey she's not surprised the clip was as big of a hit as it was – something still talked about years later.

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"Obviously, the Queen was a beloved monarch who bestrode her century, so that's not going to go away, is it?" Alison says in a London hotel.

"And Paddington, with his wonderful heart, [his] sense of heartfelt sincerity was the the right – I can't say person, the right bear to be able to say thank you to her.

"And because he's a wonderful antidote to any cynicism, his simple thank you did prove very poignant."

The 96-year-old sovereign was praised for her comedic timing in the clip, where she pulls a marmalade sandwich from her famous black purse.

READ MORE: Inside Queen Elizabeth's sweet history with Paddington Bear

"It's true that he brings alive everybody he acts with and they all respond beautifully," Alison tells 9honey while promoting the newest film in the franchise, Paddington in Peru.

"You put anybody, whether it's the Queen or Antonio Banderas or Olivia Colman or Hugh Bonneville or Emily Mortimer ... they all shine beside him."

Queen Elizabeth and Paddington have a long history, ever since the monarch appeared in Michael Bond's 1986 Paddington at the Palace.

Watch the Platinum Jubilee skit here:

While the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and her subsequent funeral brought about a strong national sentiment, Alison says the new movie – which starts with Paddington becoming a British citizen – wasn't inspired by the success of the Jubilee clip.

"No, we were already hard at work on the film when that sketch happened," she confirms.

"So we were all really deep into our journey."

Actor Hugh Bonneville, who's been a part of the film franchise for 10 years, joked with 9honey that the bear had changed in light of his international success at the jubilee.

"Well, there was a different, entirely new contract that I had to sign - new clauses within the contract to do with looking him in the eye and all that sort of stuff," Bonneville says.

"He won't work between the hours of 8am and 3pm until ... it's when you see the crates of marmalade arriving outside the trailer and you know, it's that time, and then suddenly the door will spring open, and out he'll come being all sweetness and light and pretending to be your friend.

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"So things have gotten tougher since he's become an international superstar but the point is, all these big stars have egos of some sort or another, but if they can just deliver the goods, then you have to put up with it."

Bonneville returns as Mr Brown in the third film, as the whole Brown family go on an adventure to Paddington's birth country Peru to see his beloved, ailing Aunt Lucy.

Paddington in Peru is in cinemas across Australia on New Year's Day.

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