Bridge to Terabithia

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General Information

Bailee's Role: May Belle Aarons
Release Date: February 16, 2007 (USA)
Director: Gabor Csupo
Writer: Jeff Stockwell and David Paterson (screenplay). Katherine Paterson (book)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Runtime: 96 min
Rated: PG
Tagline: "Discover a place that will never leave you, and a friendship that will change you forever." • "The beloved novel comes to life." • "Close your eyes, but keep your mind wide open."
Trailer: Watch Here

Synopsis

Jess Aarons (Josh Hutcherson) is an outsider at school and even in his own family. Jess has trained all summer to become the fastest kid in his middle school class but his goal is unexpectedly thwarted by the new girl in school, Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb), who competes in the "boys only" race and wins.
Despite their awkward introduction, the two outsiders quickly become best friends. Leslie loves to tell stories of fantasy and magic. Jess loves to draw, but until he met Leslie it was something he kept to himself. Leslie opens a new world of imagination for Jess.
Together they create the secret kingdom of Terabithia, a magical place only accessible by swinging on an old rope over a stream in the woods near their homes. There, the friends rule the kingdom, fight the Dark Master and his creatures and plot against the school bullies. Thanks to his friendship with Leslie, Jess is changed for good.

Bailee's Character

Bailee plays May Belle, Jesse's second youngest sister, who adores and admires him. She is the first of his sisters to learn about Terabithia.

Trivia

• One scene in "Bridge to Terabithia" required Josh's character Jess to angrily push his 6-year-old little sister May Belle to the ground (played by young actress Bailee Madison). Naturally, most scenes have to be filmed more than once, and it is said that Josh felt so badly about having to push Bailee, he always helped her up and hugged her in-between takes.

• After appearing in the movie, Bailee told producer Lauren Levine that if they ever did a sequel, she wanted to do more stunt work, like Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb (the film's two stars) were able to do.

• It is reported that Bailee showed a lot of professionalism and skill in her role as May Belle in Bridge to Terabithia. According to film producer Lauren Levine, there was one particular school recess scene in the movie that had to be done multiple times, and after a while, Bailee started showing signs of fatigue and emotion. When Levine asked her if she was okay, Bailee looked at her and said, "I'm in character!" AnnaSophia Robb, who played Leslie in the movie, has said that Bailee "totally embraced her character and was amazing."

• Bailee was adored by both AnnaSophia Robb and Josh Hutcherson, who acted alongside her in the movie. In the film's DVD commentary, Robb and Hutcherson sing her praises, saying that she is an amazing little actress and an incredibly sweet little girl.

• Actor Josh Hutcherson, who played Bailee's older brother in the 2007 film Bridge to Terabithia, has referred to Bailee as "the sister he doesn't have." As for her work in the movie, Josh has said, "She was amazing; she is the most grown-up little person I have ever met. I love her so much."

• Bailee has acknowledged that her personal wardrobe is similar to the raggedy and often mismatched apparel that her character May Belle wore in the movie. "I'm a ragamuffin," Bailee has joked.

• 5-year-old Bailee did not know how to read yet while filming Bridge to Terabithia, so her mother had to mouth her lines to her from the side.

• In an early scene during the film Bridge to Terabithia, there is a shot Bailee gives AnnaSophia's character Leslie a very dirty look as she is walking away. It was necessary for the scene, but AnnaSophia has recalled how horrible she felt when Bailee did this, because her acting was so authentic, and AnnaSophia was scared that this sweet little girl really did despise her. Fortunately, all was well when Bailee gave AnnaSophia a hug immediately afterward.

• Bridge to Terabithia was nominated for 8 awards and won 6 of them.

May Belle Notable Quotes

May Belle: You got any Barbies?
Leslie: Yeah, I think I have a few. You got any?
May Belle: Yeah, I have one..and a half.
Lesile: And a half?
May Belle: One got cut in half playing super extreme barbie.
Leslie: I've never heard of that before.
May Belle: You throw them out the upstairs window, flush the toilet with them in it, things like that. It's really fun!.

Reviews

"Believe it or not, out of all the kids involved in this movie the one with the performance that most impressed me was that of then 8-year-old Bailee Madison. If you've never seen her in anything else (she has a dozen roles to her name in the two years since she started), this kid is CUTE. Madison plays Jesse's younger sister May Belle and gets nearly as much screen time as the two main stars and, as it turns out, has one of the most important roles in the story as well. In this film she'll show you the full range of emotions from childish delight to pouting to hysterical fits and does a very convincing job of it."

- Rebecca Brown at Helium.com

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