“Chris Pine is a wonderful actor, but he doesn’t see very well,” adds Marshall. “Chris wears glasses, and when he takes the glasses off he’s very dashing, but he can’t see where everything is. So I did one scene where his character wears glasses, and Chris was so happy in this scene because he could see everybody and he knew what was going on!”
U.K. native Callum Blue (“Young Blades,” Showtime’s “Dead Like Me”) portrays the very British Andrew Jacoby, Duke of Kenilworth, a kind young man with a penchant for wearing tweed, who seems to be a perfect match for Princess Mia—on paper. Blue enjoyed playing the role of British Duke Andrew Jacoby: “I’m from a place called Essex, from a middle class background, while Andrew was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so my character and I really couldn’t be more different,” laughs Blue. “I watched hours of documentaries on Prince William and other royals to prepare to play a Duke. I studied their posture, the way they waved and carried themselves in order to physically become Andrew. It was great fun to play, because I felt posh for once in my life!”
Raven (“Dr. Doolittle,” “It’s So Raven”) is Princess Asana, a flirty, gregarious friend of Mia’s who’s always ready for a party. Veteran comedy actor and five-time Emmy nominee Tom Poston is Lord Palimore, a by-the-book (and somewhat narcoleptic) member of Genovia’s Parliament. Elinor Donahue, who was “Princess” in the classic tv series “Father Knows Best,” plays Lady Palimore, and noted composer Paul Williams portrays Lord Harmony, a member of Parliament. Young actors Spencer Breslin and his sister Abigail, who both star in Garry Marshall’s “Raising Helen,” cameo as Prince Jacques and Carolina, respectively.
Also contributing to the humor of “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” are Shea Curry and Anna White, who play Mia’s eager-toplease lady’s maids Brigitte and Brigitta; Bonnie Aarons as the haughty Baroness Von Troken, who looks down her considerable nose at Princess Mia; and Kim Thomson is Elsie, a gossip reporter whose “Eggs With Elsie” morning TV show avidly reports on Mia’s adjustment to Genovian life. Jane Morris is Viscount Mabrey’s exasperated servant Gretchen; and Erik Bragg plays Lionel, an overly enthusiastic summer security intern who imitates Joseph’s every gesture, and who alarms Queen Clarisse by vowing to “take a bullet” for her, if necessary. Noted Russian opera soprano Anna Netrebko appears at the Queen’s garden tea party; and Marvel Comics chairman emeritus Stan Lee, creator of “Spider-Man” and other comic superheroes, cameos as a wedding guest. Garry Marshall didn’t always venture far from his own family tree in casting “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement”
“First you look in your house, to see if you have any relatives,” explains Marshall. “So my grandson, Sam—he’s not even one year old yet—plays Viscount James, the little ring bearer in the wedding sequence. We have to carry him around a bit, but he’s cute!” Marshall’s wife Barbara is Lady Jerome; son Scott Marshall, the film’s second unit director, is security guard “Shades”; daughter Kathleen is Charlotte; daughter Lori Marshall-Fricker is a teacher; Lori’s daughters Lily and Charlotte play princesses; daughter-in-law Elissa is a wedding guest and Marshall’s niece, Tracy Reiner, plays Lady Anthony.
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