## Behind the Scenes of Alice in Wonderland: Casting, Inspiration, and Oscar-Winning Design
Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ brought the classic tale to life on the big screen in 2010, captivating audiences with its stunning visuals and quirky characters. But the journey to creating this fantastical world was filled with intriguing stories and unexpected casting choices.
When the idea for a live-action ‘Alice in Wonderland’ film emerged, Anne Hathaway was the first to receive an offer, even before Tim Burton was attached to direct. She was initially offered the role of Alice herself, but after playing similar roles in movies like ‘The Princess Diaries,’ she decided to decline. However, her desire to work with Burton led her to happily accept the role of the White Queen, filming all her scenes in a mere two weeks.
Hathaway described the White Queen as a “punk rock vegan pacifist,” drawing inspiration from Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Hollywood legend Greta Garbo. Interestingly, Burton’s initial vision for the character was based on British food writer Nigella Lawson.
Mia Wasikowska: A Rising Star Takes Center Stage
The role of 19-year-old Alice was given to Mia Wasikowska, a relatively unknown actress at the time. The Australian actress, who had been acting since her teens, sent an audition tape to London, followed by additional auditions in Los Angeles and London before securing the part.
Meanwhile, Burton’s first choice for Alice was actually Frances Bean Cobain, the daughter of the late Kurt Cobain. However, she declined the role to focus on her education, as revealed by her mother, Courtney Love, in an interview with the Daily Mail.
Other actresses who auditioned for the role included Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried, and Cara Delevingne, but Burton was ultimately drawn to Wasikowska’s “old soul” quality. He believed her ability to convey subtle emotions was crucial because “the audience is going to see everything through her eyes.” Wasikowska, despite her young age, flawlessly embraced the pressure of starring in such a massive film.
Johnny Depp’s Colorful Mad Hatter
Alice’s journey through Wonderland leads her back to the Mad Hatter, played by Burton’s frequent collaborator, Johnny Depp. Depp, known for his meticulous character development, collaborated closely with Burton to create an even more colorful and unique Mad Hatter than ever before.
Depp’s portrayal of the Mad Hatter was inspired by a wide range of sources, from his appearance to his personality and accent. His clothing, skin, hair, and demeanor shift to reflect his emotional state, a trait Depp described as being “very much like a mood ring.” He was particularly drawn to the Mad Hatter’s line, “I’m researching things that begin with ‘M,'” from the original book, which led him to learn about the 19th-century practice of hatmakers using mercury in their craft, leading to mercury poisoning. Depp interpreted the Mad Hatter’s orange hair and eccentric behavior as symptoms of this poisoning and the resulting neurological damage.
Depp’s Mad Hatter speaks with both a standard British accent and a Glaswegian brogue. The former represents his brighter, gentler side, while the latter reflects his darker, more dangerous aspects. He drew inspiration for the Glaswegian accent from the 1988-1990s British comedy series “Rab C. Nesbitt.”
Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen: A Fusion of Characters
The Red Queen, the menacing ruler of Wonderland, is a fusion of the classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ Queen of Hearts, known for her penchant for beheadings, and the Red Queen from ‘Through the Looking-Glass,’ the White Queen’s sister. This role was played by Helena Bonham Carter, then Burton’s partner.
Interestingly, the inspiration for the character came from Burton and Bonham Carter’s own second child, who was born in 2007. The Red Queen’s exaggerated head size, a result of CGI, is explained by Bonham Carter as being “like a baby. She’s got a big head and she’s a tyrant.”
Tim Burton’s First Greenscreen Experience: A Challenge for Cast and Crew
While surprising to many, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ marked Tim Burton’s first film using greenscreen technology. This technique, used for 90% of the film, posed significant challenges for the cast and crew. The prolonged exposure to green space led to some experiencing nausea and other health issues. Even Depp, who enjoys confronting difficult situations during filming, described greenscreen work as “tiring” and leaving him with a “blank mind” at the end of the day. Despite the challenges, Burton persevered, wearing lavender-tinted glasses throughout the 40-day shoot.
Oscar-Winning Art and Costume Design
‘Alice in Wonderland’ won two Academy Awards, for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. Art director Robert Stromberg, who had worked on James Cameron’s ‘Avatar,’ brought his expertise in CGI-heavy productions to the project. The first four months of pre-production were spent exchanging ideas in the house Burton had purchased from Arthur Rackham, the illustrator of the 1907 edition of the original book. This special connection to the source material led to a plethora of unique design concepts, with over 10,000 unused ideas. The castles of the Red Queen and White Queen were designed to resemble Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World.
Costume designer Colleen Atwood, who won her third Oscar for this film, interpreted Alice as a “very contemporary character.” She intentionally avoided the traditional large hoop skirts and corsets. In fact, Alice’s refusal to wear a corset or stockings is highlighted in a scene where she argues with her mother. Atwood explained to WWD that she “didn’t want to say anything except that she was a girl who was seeing life in a different way and was a little bit freer in her way of dressing and thinking about clothes.”
One of the most innovative aspects of the costume design was the decision to not have Alice’s clothing change with her body’s transformations. Alice cleverly uses ribbons to hold up her underskirt when she shrinks and wears a tiny dress made by the Mad Hatter when she grows large. The Red Queen provides her with black, white, and red dresses. For the Mad Hatter, Atwood collaborated closely with Depp. They drew inspiration from typical 19th-century hat-maker styles, incorporating motifs like yarn spools for belts and pincushions for rings, representing the tools of the trade.
‘Alice in Wonderland’ was a testament to the collaborative artistry of Tim Burton, his team, and the cast. It’s a visual spectacle that continues to enchant audiences with its imaginative storytelling and design, reminding us of the enduring power of the classic tale.