Julie Andrews voices a big important fish in Aquaman
By Dan Selcke
Julie Andrews has headlined some of the most beloved and profitable movies in history, including The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. Now, the curtain rises on the next stage of her career, as Entertainment Weekly reports that she will play the mythic sea creature “the Karathen” in Warner Bros.’ upcoming Aquaman movie.
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This actually isn’t quite as weird a move as it sounds. Andrews hasn’t been in a live-action movie in a while, but has lent her inimitable voice to films like Shrek Forever After and Despicable Me 3. Doing voice work for Warner Bros. isn’t that nuts…but still, it’s odd to think that Maria from The Sounds of Music is now playing a big important fish.
Speaking of the Karathen, I cannot find reference to it in Aquaman mythology, so I guess it’s invented for this movie? Based on Aquaman artist Reilly Lohr’s description, it sounds like by far the most metal part Andrews has ever played:
"At ILM I was part of the team painting the gargantuan Karathen…I painted all his legs/claws, body(not including back plates), his mouth including teeth and tongue) and his eyes…His scale made painting him a bit like painting an environment, we added algae and dirt in all the little cracks. Scale of texture was also very important – we needed to be sure that when you get close, everything holds up and feels the appropriate size for such a giant. Lastly his body is made up of plates, leather and scales…Lastly we painted damage to give him a tatted and aged look. Lots of scratches and even some old healed scars were added for some personality."
You can see this sea beast in the latest trailer for the movie. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…the Karathen:
“We wanted the Karathen to have the voice of a classic British actress, albeit somewhat digitally altered,” explained Aquaman producer Peter Safran. “And when we found out Julie was interested and available and excited to do it, casting her was a no-brainer.” I look at that thing and I don’t think “classic British actress,” but the vagaries of the creative process are often mysterious and slippery. In any case, the Karathen will apparently hold “the key to Arthur Curry’s quest to unite the Atlantean and surface worlds.”
The other interesting thing is that Aquaman, which stars Game of Thrones alum Jason Momoa in the lead, as if that matters anymore, opens opposite Mary Poppins Returns, which stars Emily Blunt in the role Andrews made famous way back in 1964. Andrews declined to appear in Returns, reportedly because she didn’t want to distract from Blunt’s performance. But it is kind of funny that she’ll be tearing apart sea soldiers in the next theater over.
Aquaman, starring Dame Julie Andrews as the super-kraken, opens December 21.
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