Meet the all-star voice cast of Watership Down
James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Gemma Arterton, Peter Capaldi and Olivia Colman are among the stellar talent you can hear in the BBC1 animation
It’s been almost four years in the making, but BBC’s new adaptation of Richard Adam’s Watership Down will be hopping onto screens this Christmas.
And comes with an all-star voice cast: a host of Hollywood stars and British favourites are set to bring the story of a group of rabbits on the hunt for a new home.
- When is Watership Down on BBC1 and Netflix?
- Why would you put another generation through the trauma of Watership Down?
- What is on TV this Christmas 2018?
Here are the familiar voices you can hear in the show...
James McAvoy voices Hazel
What else has James McAvoy been in?
The Scottish Hollywood star has enjoyed roles in the likes of Atonement, The Last King of Scotland and the X-Men films as a young Professor Charles Xavier.
Nicholas Hoult voices Fiver
What else has Nicholas Hoult been in?
Hoult's breakthrough through came at age 12 with Hugh Grant film About A Boy, where he played Marcus. He then took up the role of Tony in E4 drama Skins before breaking into Hollywood, playing mutant Hank McCoy in the X-Men films alongside James McAvoy.
Hoult has also starred in Jack the Giant Slayer and Mad Max: Fury Road and will next be seen alongside Olivia Colman in The Favourite.
John Boyega voices Bigwig
What else has John Boyega been in?
Star Wars. You’ll probably know Boyega best as Finn in The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and the upcoming Episode IX. Outside of a universe far far away you can also catch Boyega in Attack the Block, Detroit, Pacific Rim: Uprising and 24: Live Another Day.
Ben Kingsley voices General Woundwort
What else has Ben Kingsley been in?
Virtually acting royalty, Sir Ben has starred in a variety of films and TV shows in a career spanning five decades, winning an Oscar, a Bafta and two Golden Globes for the lead role in Gandhi. You might also know him from Schindler's List, Prince of Persia, Iron Man 3 and 2016’s The Jungle Book.
Gemma Arterton as Clover
What else has Gemma Arterton been in?
Arterton’s first major role was as Bond girl Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace and she went on to star in Byzantium, Tamara Drewe and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. Fans of the St Trinian’s films will remember her as Head Girl Kelly.
Olivia Colman voices Strawberry
What else has Olivia Colman been in?
Starting off starring in comedies like Peep Show, Black Books and That Mitchell and Webb Look, Colman has become a familiar face to drama fans in recent years. Not only did she play DS Ellie Miller in Broadchurch and Angela Burr in The Night Manager, but Colman is also set to take over the role of Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s The Crown. She's also cropped up in Tyrannosaur, Twenty Twelve and Fleabag, and will be seen in new drama Les Misérables.
Miles Jupp voices Blackberry
What else has Miles Jupp been in?
The comedian and actor has appeared in The Thick of It, Rev., The Durrells, Josh and Outnumbered. And yes, he also played Archie, the inventor who lived in a pink castle, in CBeebies’ Balamory. Nowadays he hosts The News Quiz on Radio 4.
Daniel Kaluuya voices Bluebell
What else has Daniel Kaluuya been in?
Like Nicholas Hoult, Kaluuya enjoyed fame on E4’s Skins, where he played Posh Kenneth in the drama’s first two series. After featuring in the likes of Psychoville and Black Mirror, Kaluuya starred as the lead in Get Out and played W'Kabi in Marvel’s Black Panther. He also impressed in Widows alongside Liam Neeson and Octavia Spencer.
Taron Egerton voices El-Ahrairah
What else has Taron Egerton been in?
You’ll know him best as Gary "Eggsy" Unwin from the Kingsman films. However, you may also recognise him from Eddie the Eagle, Testament of Youth and Sky series The Smoke (alongside Jodie Whittaker). He's due to play Elton John on the silver screen next year
Freddie Fox voices Captain Holly
What else has Freddie Fox been in?
Fox will be familiar to fans of Russell T Davies series Cucumber and Banana, with the actor playing lead Freddie. He also played King Louis XIII in The Three Musketeers and voiced Dennis in Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed!. He's appeared in films including Pride and The Riot Club and has had a number of notable roles on stage.
Mackenzie Crook voices Hawkbit
What else has Mackenzie Crook been in?
Gaining fame for playing Gareth in The Office, Crook has now enjoyed roles in shows like Game of Thrones, Britannia and Pirates of the Caribbean. He also wrote BBC comedy Detectorists and played Andy Stone.
Anne-Marie Duff voices Hyzenthlay
What else has Anne-Marie Duff been in?
Duff has featured in the likes of Shameless, The Virgin Queen, On Chesil Beach and John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy. She also narrated BBC documentary series Hospital.
Peter Capaldi voices Kehaar
What else has Peter Capaldi been in?
Capaldi, of course, will be a familiar name to Doctor Who fans thanks to his role as the Twelfth Doctor between 2013 and 2017. Outside of Who, you’ll probably know him as spin doctor Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It and film In the Loop, plus Mr Curry from the Paddington films. He'll next be seen in Thick of It creator Armando Iannucci's David Copperfield.
Rory Kinnear voices Cowslip
What else has Rory Kinnear been in?
Bond enthusiasts will know Kinnear as Bill Tanner, the MI6 chief of staff, in Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. He also played Michael in Count Arthur Strong, appeared in Southcliffe and Penny Dreadful, and was the prime minister in THAT Black Mirror pig episode.
Lee Ingleby voices Captain Campion
What else has Lee Ingleby been in?
Inspector George Gently – Ingleby played Detective Sergeant John Bacchus in the BBC drama. The actor also starred as Stan Shunpike in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the dad from The A Word and nervous Midshipman Hollom in 2003’s Master and Commander. Then there was that little-known drama Line of Duty which he starred in as Thandie Newton's husband in 2017, following it up with creepy ITV drama Innocent.
Craig Parkinson voices Captain Sainfoin
What else has Craig Parkinson been in?
Another Line of Duty alum – it’s likely you’ll know Parkinson best as DI Matthew 'Dot' Cottan in the BBC drama. He also played probation worker Shaun in Misfits and both the Kray twins in ITV series Whitechapel. He hosts the Two Shot Podcast, a show about actors and acting.
Jason Watkins voices Captain Orchis
What else has Jason Watkins been in?
Line of Duty, W1A, Trollied, Taboo, Hold the Sunset, Inside No 9: Watkins has starred in them all. The actor also picked up a Bafta TV Award for Best Actor for two-part drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies.
Tom Wilkinson voices Threarah
What else has Tom Wilkinson been in?
The actor has a long list of film and TV credits including Batman Begins, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Gruffalo. Wilkinson has twice been nominated for an Oscar, firstly for 2001 film In the Bedroom and then for 2007’s Michael Clayton.
Gemma Chan voices Dewdrop
What else has Gemma Chan been in?
Chan has starred in Humans, Crazy Rich Asians, Doctor Who (The Waters of Mars), Sherlock, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Madam Ya Zhou) and The IT Crowd. She’s also set to play Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and appears as Bess of Hardwick in Mary Queen of Scots.
Sign up for the free RadioTimes.com newsletter
Authors
Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.
