*VIDEO* Film heads 'into the woods' at Waverley Abbey, Virginia Water and Shepperton Studios
Into the Woods at Waverley Abbey by Andrew West - Credit: Archant
The romantic ruins of England's first Cistercian Abbey, Waverley Abbey, were magically transformed for their appearance in the latest Disney epic, Into the Woods.
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A storybook tower was recreated at the Surrey beauty spot near Farnham, where Rapunzel, played by MacKenzie Mauzy, is held captive in the film.
“The sets had the sense of a fairy tale, but at the same time were very real and haunting,” Mauzy told English Heritage, who manage the site.
“Our set designers did such an amazing job that it was hard to tell the difference between my character’s tower and the ruins of the Abbey, itself. You instantly become part of that world, because it seemed so real.”
Into the Woods, which also stars James Corden, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep, is a sing-along through the intertwined stories of fairytale characters, including Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Elsewhere around the county, the woods at Windsor Great Park were transformed into a mythical land where characters like Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella roamed.
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The cascade at Virginia Water Lake, meanwhile, was used as the setting for the duet between the film’s two Prince Charmings, and Byfleet Manor in Byfleet also hosted cast and crew for scenes.
Directed by Rob Marshall, the movie was also shot at Surrey’s world famous Shepperton Studios.
Out in cinemas now, Into the Woods was beaten to the title of Best Motion Picture (musical or comedy) at the 2015 Golden Globes by Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.
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