MISCHIEVOUS MARIONETTE

Naughty puppet Pinocchio is voiced by 13-year-old British actor Gregory Mann, who was a 10-year-old newcomer when he was cast but has since had roles in ITV period drama Victoria and film The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018).

‘Finding Gregory was like catching lightning in a bottle,’ says Guillermo. ‘We went through hundreds of auditions. All of them had a little too much of a polish.’

So that Gregory wouldn’t lose his sense of unrefined excitement in recording sessions, the director came up with a clever trick.

‘If Gregory started getting too actory, I’d say, “Call me a dummy,”’ says Guillermo. ‘So he would say, “Shut up, dummy! I can’t hear your instructions, dummy.” And he would laugh it out and continue.’