The Magic Faraway Tree cast: Who stars in the new Enid Blyton adaptation?

The Magic Faraway Tree arrives in theaters on March 27th, bringing Enid Blyton’s beloved book series to life. With a script by Simon Farnaby, known for his work on films like Ghosts and Paddington 2, it’s shaping up to be a fantastic family movie.

The film features a fantastic cast, including stars like Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, and Rebecca Ferguson. It also includes many well-known British comedy actors making appearances.

A lot of well-known actors are playing silly, eccentric characters—like Dame Washalot and Mr. Watzisname—and that really captures the lighthearted and playful feel of the whole project.

Keep reading to find the complete list of actors in The Magic Faraway Tree. We’ll tell you about each character they play and where else you might recognize the cast.

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The Magic Faraway Tree cast: Who stars in the new movie?

The confirmed cast list is as follows:

Andrew Garfield as Tim Thompson
Claire Foy as Polly Thompson
Delilah Bennett-Cardy as Beth Thompson
Billie Gadsdon as Fran Thompson
Phoenix Laroche as Joe Thompson
Nicola Coughlan as Silky
Nonso Anozie as Moonface
Jessica Gunning as Dame Washalot
Dustin Demri-Burns as the Saucepan Man
Mark Heap as Mr Oom Boom Boom
Oliver Chris as Mr Watzisname
Lenny Henry as The Great Know-All
Michael Palin as Know-All
Simon Russell Beale as Know-All
Jennifer Saunders as Grandma Frida
Rebecca Ferguson as Dame Snap
Hiran Abeysekera as Angry Pixie
Pippa Bennett-Warner as Hannah
Simon Farnaby as Farmer Brian
Claire Keelan as Farmer’s Wife

Read on for everything you need to know about the cast and who they’re playing.

Andrew Garfield plays Tim Thompson

Tim Thompson is the dad of Joe, Beth, and Fran. He’s an optimistic person who always looks on the bright side, and when faced with difficulties, he suggests they all move to the country and start over. His plan is to grow tomatoes and use them to make a family recipe into a profitable business.

Besides his recent films We Live in Time and After the Hunt (released in 2024 and 2025), Andrew Garfield has two movies coming out in 2026: The Magic Faraway Tree and Paul Greengrass’s The Uprising. He’s widely known for playing Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, and he returned to the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Other notable films he’s appeared in include The Social Network, Silence, Hacksaw Ridge, and Tick, Tick… Boom!

Claire Foy plays Polly Thompson

Polly Thompson is Tim’s wife and the mother of their three children. She recently left her job after discovering that the smart fridge she created was secretly designed to monitor its users.

Claire Foy became well-known in 2016 for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the popular Netflix series, The Crown. Since then, she’s appeared in films such as Women Talking and All of Us Strangers, and starred as the lead in the 2025 British drama, H is for Hawk.

Delilah Bennett-Cardy plays Beth Thompson

Beth Thompson is the eldest of the Thompson children, and she mainly enjoys spending time talking with her friends.

Besides this role, Delilah Bennett-Cardy has only appeared in one other project: the 2023 ITV series Tom Jones.

Phoenix Laroche plays Joe Thompson

Joe Thompson is the second of three children, and he’s become completely absorbed in a virtual reality video game called Mindblast.

What else has Phoenix Laroche been in? Laroche was seen last year in Prime Video series Malice.

Billie Gadsdon plays Fran Thompson

Fran Thompson is the youngest child in the family. She’s very quiet, but she’s the one who first finds the tree.

Billie Gadson is a rising actress with several roles already under her belt. She’s appeared in the TV series The Midwich Cuckoos and A Gentleman in Moscow, as well as the films Here, Nocebo, and Cruella.

Nicola Coughlan plays Silky

Silky is a small fairy who lives in the Faraway Tree and is a friend to the children in the stories. She’s known for her long, golden hair.

Nicola Coughlan first gained widespread recognition for her role as Clare Devlin in Derry Girls. Since then, she’s appeared in popular projects like Barbie and the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, Joy to the World, where she played the character Joy. She’s also well-known for her ongoing role as Penelope Featherington in the Netflix series Bridgerton.

Nonso Anozie plays Moonface

Moonface is a cheerful, round-faced character and considers himself the leader of the group who live in the Faraway Tree.

Nonso Anozie is known for several roles, including Xaro Xhoan Daxos in season two of Game of Thrones and Oberon in the TV adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. More recently, he’s appeared in popular shows like Ted Lasso, The Sandman, and The Mandalorian.

Jessica Gunning plays Dame Washalot

Who is Dame Washalot? The mission control leader of the Faraway gang.

I first noticed Jessica Gunning in ‘Baby Reindeer’ – she was amazing as Martha Scott, and that role really put her on the map! Before that, she’d been working steadily with smaller parts in different shows and movies. Now, I’m really excited to see her in the new film ‘Frank and Percy’ – I’ll definitely be watching!

Dustin Demri-Burns plays the Saucepan Man

The Saucepan Man is a character who lives in the Faraway Tree. He’s covered in pots and pans, which makes it a bit difficult for him to hear.

Dustin Demri-Burns is known for his roles in several British comedies, including “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa,” “Grimsby,” “Bridget Jones’s Baby,” and “All My Friends Hate Me.” He recently played a recurring character, Min Harper, in the series “Slow Horses.”

Rebecca Ferguson plays Dame Snap

Dame Snap is the main villain in the movie. She’s a harsh headmistress who runs a school with a frightening rule: children can get stuck doing lessons there… forever.

Rebecca Ferguson is well-known for her role as Lady Jessica in the films Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), and she’s scheduled to return for the final movie in the trilogy, expected in late 2026. She also recently starred in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, a film that continues the story of the popular TV show.

Mark Heap plays Mr Oom Boom Boom

Mr. Oom Boom Boom is a flamboyant and somewhat shady character who’s secretly living in the basement of the Land of Birthdays.

Mark Heap is a well-known British comedian who first gained attention in the 1990s with an appearance on Chris Morris’s Brass Eye. He’s also appeared in shows like Spaced and Green Wing, but many people recognize him as Jim from Friday Night Dinner.

Oliver Chris plays Mr Watzisname

Who is Mr Watzisname? A befuddled character who can never quite remember his own name

Besides Motherland, Oliver Chris has appeared in several British comedy shows early in his career, including Green Wing, The IT Crowd, and According to Bex. He recently played James Vereker in the Disney+ series Rivals.

Lenny Henry plays the Great Know-All

Let me tell you about the Great Know-All! He’s the ringleader of a trio who pretend to be incredibly smart, but honestly, they haven’t got a clue about anything. They act like they know it all, but trust me, they really don’t!

As a big movie and TV fan, I’ve always known Lenny Henry as a consistently brilliant performer. A lot of people probably first discovered him through The Lenny Henry Show – he didn’t just star in it, he actually created and co-wrote it too! That show was a staple for twenty years, popping up on and off throughout the 80s and beyond. Beyond that, he’s a real force for good, co-founding Comic Relief with Richard Curtis and almost always hosting their big Red Nose Day telethon. Honestly, the man’s been in so much over the years – a truly impressive career!

Michael Palin as the second Know-All

Who is the second member of the Know-Alls? He’s another arrogant character, but doesn’t actually have much understanding.

Michael Palin is best known as a member of the comedy troupe Monty Python. He not only performed in all four series of their Flying Circus show, but also helped write their classic films like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. Beyond Python, Palin has become a popular travel documentarian, and recently appeared in Small Prophets with Mackenzie Crook.

Simon Russell Beale as the third Know-All

Who is the last of the Know-Alls? This final member is much like the other two in personality and traits.

Simon Russell Beale is widely considered one of the best stage actors of his generation, and he has a long list of impressive credits. In film, he’s known for roles like Lavrentiy Beria in The Death of Stalin, alongside Michael Palin, and Winston Churchill in Operation Mincemeat. More recently, he appeared as Ser Simon Strong in the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.

Jennifer Saunders plays Grandma Frida

Grandma Frida is Polly’s mother. She comes to visit the Thompsons to see how they’re settling in, and she’s very critical of Tim’s plans and their new life overall.

Besides being a member of the comedy group The Comic Strip, Jennifer Saunders is famous for co-creating the sketch show French and Saunders with Dawn French. She’s also well-known for playing Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, arguably her most iconic role, and has consistently appeared on television since then.

Simon Farnaby plays Farmer Brian

Farmer Brian is a somewhat difficult-to-understand local farmer who meets the Thompson family when they move to the area.

Simon Farnaby first gained recognition with his work on Horrible Histories. He then became a successful writer, starting with the 2016 film Mindhorn. Since then, he’s contributed to popular projects like Paddington 2 and Paddington in Peru, co-created and starred in the series Ghosts, and most recently wrote the screenplay for Wonka. He is also currently writing for The Magic Faraway Tree.

The Magic Faraway Tree is in cinemas from Friday 27 March.

Authors

Alex Hewitt

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about films for TopMob, covering new releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time, he’s interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of movies.

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2026-03-26 14:42