Jessica Gunning Relished The Contrast Of The Magic Faraway Tree After The Intensity Of Baby Reindeer

Jessica Gunning has been riding high since the success of Netflix's Baby Reindeer. Prior to the drama taking off, she had been steadily working for years, but hadn't been to America and had never found herself the centre of attention at awards shows. Fast forward to 2026, and she's now the proud owner of an Emmy and countless other awards. Her next big role is in The Magic Faraway Tree as Dame Washalot, a magical character who lives in an enchanted wood.

The film is based on the book series of the same name by Enid Blyton, and for Gunning, it was a welcome change from the dark world of Baby Reindeer. "I got the part the week that Baby Reindeer came out. So then when we were filming, it was a very different contrast, in a good way," the actor recalls. "I think it was quite a nice world to escape to... it was amazing to step into this kind of magical world, and play a character that's just so fun, and big, and vibrant, and yeah, [a] very, very different part indeed."

Gunning's life has changed since she won her first Emmy, although the star insists it hasn't changed her as a person. She's been receiving interesting new scripts and has been visiting the US for work — a novel experience for the Brit. "The people I've met, and the jobs I've had [a] chance to do since [such as The Magic Faraway Tree] have been just so lovely," she tells us. In particular, Gunning was already big fan of co-star Jennifer Saunders, who plays Grandma Thompson in the film. "Getting to work with just some amazing people who I've admired for years has been pretty amazing.... [I was most starstruck by] Jennifer at the read-through. We didn't have any scenes together, sadly, but she is just amazing. I think [she's'] one of my faves."

There was some hesitation when stepping into the brightly coloured costume of Dame Washalot, as this book is held dear to so many adults who grew up with Blyton's stories. "Everyone I spoke to about it, either they had [discovered it later] or hadn't really heard of [the books], or [their] eyes would like fill with tears at the nostalgia of them," Gunning says. "So no pressure, but hopefully we've done the books justice with the movie, and it's such an amazing thing to be part of." The writer at the helm is Simon Farnaby, who acted in Paddington and then co-wrote Paddington 2, which received critical acclaim. "I think [we] were in very safe hands with someone like him, because I think he managed to capture the heart of the books and stay true to that, but also add a bit of movie magic and make it feel very modern and relatable for current audiences."

Dame Washalot doesn't have the most screentime in the film — the main characters are the three children (played by Billie Gadson, Delilah Bennett-Cardy and Phoenix Laroche), after all — but her bright costumes are definitely a scene-stealer. Along with a cape of rubber washing-up gloves and a funky wig, the star says there were other laundry-themed details viewers might miss upon a first viewing. "There were loads of pegs [all over the skirt], and then I also had a kind of washboard stomach... a corseted washboard, and waterproof clogs, in case any water splashed anywhere," Gunning says. "It was all very practical and incredibly designed... it took probably a good half hour to an hour [to put on], because there was quite a few layers on the skirt, but worth it, because it just looked amazing."

If there's one thing that we need to take away from The Magic Faraway Tree, it's that sometimes you need to find the magic and whimsy in your own life. Whether that's creating small rituals like lighting candles or trying the new trend of joymaxxing, finding a spark can give your life meaning. "I think we always need a bit of magic in our life. And I think if you're lucky enough to be around kids and things, you'll see that they do have magic in abundance," Gunning muses. "I think I'm lucky as an actor that I get to play pretend, literally for a job. I think that it's always nice to be reminded of imagination and all the kind[s] of worlds out there in The Magic Faraway Tree."