Young Australian actress Mia Wasikowska is about to hit the big time, playing the beloved female protagonist Alice Kingsley in Tim Burton’s exciting new interpretation of Lewis Carrol’s classic “Alice in Wonderland”. The film, starring Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen and Helena-Bonham Carter as The Red Queen, takes place a couple of years after the events in the original novel and later, animated film. In this exclusive interview, the Canberra-born actress tells CLINT MORRIS how exciting it was to – once again – get to work with the always-in-work ‘ball on a stick’.

It just occurred to me, you’re likely going to have your own action figure soon!

You’re right! Wow! Guess I will.

So you haven’t seen your doll?

No, I haven’t! Nobody has shown me anything yet…

Because usually the actors get to approve the likeness of the doll and so forth before the product hits the shelves

Yeah, right…

I’ll be excited to see whether you actually like your doll!

Yeah [Laughs] we.will.see!

Now, is this a reinterpretation of ”Alice in Wonderland” or is it a sequel to the story we know?

Yeah, it’s somewhat of a sequel. Alice is 19 in our story and it’s about her going back to Wonderland. This is her emotional journey.

Ok, so she’s met The Mad Hatter and so forth before?

Yes.

So it’s very different to the animated film, I gather?

Yeah, quite different – mainly because she’s older and it’s her returning to Wonderland. It’s taking these characters and these experiences that we’ve grown up with, and that we know and love, and seeing where they are a couple of years down the track.

In addition to familiar favourites like The Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Kat, are there new characters?

No, mostly they’re characters from the stories – which I think is great because we already have some prior investment in them.

And just how mad is this Mad Hatter?

He’s pretty crazy! [Laughs] Johnny [Depp] plays him so well, and so fully, and he just gives it so much. I really can’t wait for people to see it… to see him!

And how was it working with Johnny?

He was great. He’s a lovely person – and he instantly makes you feel very comfortable. He’s also a very generous actor. And you can totally believe him as The Mad Hatter – the role is tailor made for him!

And in terms of researching your role as Alice, did you back to the original Disney film or…?

Mainly just the books. I like to use Alice from the books as the backbone. That was the framework for which we sort of built our own Alice – though obviously she’s a lot older in our story. But yeah, in terms of research, really it was just reading the books and finding as much material on the character as I could find, and also finding visual references from Alice’s world.

Now the original ”Alice in Wonderland” film – and of course, the books – is suitable for all ages. Who do you see this version appealing to the most?

I think it’s something that everybody will enjoy – but I think kids will love it for its sense of classic adventure and its visual style. But teenagers will likely also be able to identify with Alice, and where she’s at in her life. And older people, who loved the stories as children, and grew up with the characters, will get something out of it too. And of course it’s definitely going to appeal to the many fans of Tim Burton.

Are there lots of laughs in the film or are proceedings treated more seriously?

Um, I think there are lots of laughs… but, I haven’t seen it. I hope so.

How did you get involved in the film?

I sent over a video audition in February of 2008. I then ended up doing another four auditions with Tim in June. It was a long process of auditioning – but it was worth it!

So Tim pretty much just had you reading lines and seeing if you were a fit?

Yeah, typical audition situation – they give you 2 scenes for the audition, and you go from there.

Did you have to audition with any of the other actors though?

No. The first time I actually met my co-stars was on set.

Oh nerve-wracking! Speaking of your co-stars, everyone says Helena Bonham-Carter is divine to work with. Did you have a similar experience?

She is so cool! She is so nice! But I have to tell you, all of the actors are so disguised in their make-up and costumes that sometimes you forget they’re the actors – you believe you’re working with these inhabitants of Wonderland.

Another star of the film, no doubt, is the special and visual effects. How hard is it working with… well, nothing?

It’s pretty hard Clint, because there’s nothing there, there’s nothing to draw on, there’s no characters to bounce off – it, quite simply, is the hardest way to make a movie. A lot of the time, because you’re acting opposite characters that’ll be animated, you’re looking at a tennis ball on a stick! So yeah, it’s sort of a disconnecting way of making a film but it’s also appropriate for Wonderland – it’s a bizarre place, nothing makes sense.

But you’ve worked like that before, on Greg McLean’s ”Rogue” haven’t you?

Rogue was live-action – apart from the crocodile; it was a little more intensely green-screen on Alice in Wonderland.

I remember Michael Vartan telling me that you guys had to interact with a tennis ball on a stick on Rogue too, though?

Yeah, we did!

We just mentioned Greg McLean, and he’s a great filmmaker, but you’ve worked with some fabulous directors now – Tim Burton being one of the best. What’s he like – personally and professionally?

He’s such a nice person. He’s a good person. He’s got this incredible creative energy – something is always going on in his head and he channels that into his filmmaking. He’s created this whole visual language that people identify with. As an actor, I got a lot of trust from him – you always want that from a director.

For sure, and did you grew up watching Tim’s movies?

Yeah, definitely…. I love Edward Scissorhands! And Ed Wood! He has such a beautiful style.

I’ve heard a couple of people say Johnny Depp’s The Mad Hatter seems similar to his Willy Wonka – obviously an assumption based on his look, if anything.

I think it’s quite different – it’s only similar in sort of his bizarreness.

Which is what Johnny’s best at!

Yeah, definitely!

I love it that Johnny always chases the most eccentric, the most far-removed from normal character you can find. He’s an exciting actor because he never plays the straight guy.

No. Yes, he does such a great job at these sorts of characters…. I think they suits him very well, too.

Are you signed to reprise Alice for a sequel? Are Disney thinking franchise here?

No, it’s just a one-off… at this stage. We will see how it goes.

And next up for you is Jane Eyre?

Yes! I’m off to the country in London to shoot it. I’m doing it with Michael Fassbender, who plays Rochester. It’s very exciting.

Well I hope that goes well for you, just as I hope ”Alice in Wonderland” is a success for you – it looks fantastic!

Thank you so much. I hope so too. I think it’ll be great. It was really lovely to talk to you.

Alice in Wonderland opens March 4th