It's really hard to say who would be a good actress for Jill Pole, especially since kids grow up so fast and we're not exactly sure when they'll start filming.

I've always thought that the girl who played Jill in the BBC version of The Silver Chair looked the part quite well, so I'd be fine with someone who resembles her. Since Lucy and Susan are already brunettes and Polly will probably end up being blonde, if they go the same route as the illustrations, then maybe they should have Jill be a redhead. (It would match her feisty attitude!)

More than anything, though, I want an actress who is able to bring the character to life. Jill has an amazing character arc in The Silver Chair, and the role needs to be given to someone who is extremely gifted. I'm hoping for a girl who is largely unknown, but very, very talented.

So, with the news that SC will likely be moving into pre-production in early 2017, I think we can hunt for actress in earnest! It has already been mentioned that Jill is the main character, and I am excited to see who they will pick to play her. I searched for young British actresses, but the two I liked the most have already been suggested.

I thought the other day of Isabelle Allen. She played young Cossette in Les Miserables, and she is genuinely British, which is important to me.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4961623/?ref_=rvi_nm
Isabelle will be 14 in March, but she looks really young. I feel like she needs bangs.

Caitlin Blackwood, who played the young Amelia Pond in "Doctor Who". I think she's about 11 or 12 now.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3761542/?ref_=rvi_nm
Caitlin will be 16 in June. She has a sweet sensitive look that I really feel could work for Jill.

I'm not familiar with the abilities of either actress, so this is based on appearance, age and nationality.

Indeed, thanks for resurrecting this thread Anfinwen I like the appearance of both of your choices! I don't watch much of anything to give me any ideas. All of the young English ladies I might have known once upon a time are now too old to suggest. I'll have to start looking for ideas. Eustace too quite frankly.

Oh wow, Caitlin played the young Amy Pond during 11's Doctor Who run! I can definitely see her as Jill! However, that was a couple of years ago and I don't know what she looks like now. I think she did a great job in that role though.

I don't watch much of anything to give me any ideas.

Same! The thing about young talent is that they usually have to be discovered. These girls happened to be in well known productions, but I'm sure there are lots of talented young girls and guys no one even knows about.

I don't know what she looks like now

I managed to find a few pics that seem more recent. I honestly think she might have the right look.

I think Caitlin Blackwood has the right look, too, but I'm worried that she's too old. She definitely looks older than 12, and if we're looking at her returning for The Last Battle, I'm afraid she'll look like an adult in that.

It's rather tricky business with the age of the actress because we may well have one or two films sandwiched between SC and LB. I'd like to see them cast someone who is 11 or 12 and young-looking at that (maybe check and make sure they don't have any basketball players for parents) so that they'll hopefully still look like a teenager even if LB isn't filmed for five or six years. I'd hate to see another Will Poulter situation play out!

I guess one potential benefit of casting someone who is older is that you already have a sense of what they'll look like as an adult, so if they're already young-looking as an older teenager, you don't have to worry about them changing a lot in between filming SC and LB. I just think SC would be a more effective film if it's through a child's eyes rather than a teenager's.

EDIT:

I ran across a thirteen year old British girl named Lily-Rose Aslandogdu that might be a possibility. (Great name for someone in the Narnia franchise, isn't it?) I had never heard of her before, but she starred in a "second a day" style short film about the Syrian refugee crisis. It imagines what it would be like if London were Syria and it's an upsetting and very emotionally charged video, but it definitely made it easy for me to imagine her playing Jill, a very vulnerable girl who had grown up in war-torn England. I think she has a good look for the character as well. If she hasn't grown too tall, I think she could definitely be a contender for the role.

Oh wow, Caitlin played the young Amy Pond during 11's Doctor Who run! I can definitely see her as Jill! However, that was a couple of years ago and I don't know what she looks like now. I think she did a great job in that role though.

She's probably too old but would be great. It does, however, suggest that a British accent other than the RP 'posh' English accent would be worth considering (although a milder accent will be more easily understood by non-British audiences).

If the actress playing Jill had a non-RP accent similar to LOTGK, it could be a reason for her to think of LOTGK as an ally, especially if she was previously surrounded by RP accents at school.

I think Isabelle Allen is a good choice for Jill Pole and honestly if Jill Pole is an actress out now she would be the best option. But, I kind of want Jill Pole to be a no name actress, because then Narnia could be her boost into the film business.

I found another possibility for Jill. I've never seen this actress in action, but she has a lot of experience.

Raffey Cassidy is 14 years old, but if her IMDB page is correct, she is only 4' 11"

Here is a link to her IMDB page.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3864163/?ref_=nmmi_mi_nm

I just recently watched Wonderwoman and the young child actress Lilly Aspell stole my heart. Because of this I was wondering if they could cast her for Jill. She is 8 years old so she definitely short and I think she could play the part very well. She is Half-Scottish and Half-Irish.

I thought about Lilly Aspell. I liked her performance a lot in Wonder Woman. She will be 10 in October so she is about the right age. Although I almost wonder if she isn't too cute for Jill.

I found another possibility for Jill.
Raffey Cassidy is 14 years old, but if her IMDB page is correct, she is only 4' 11.
Here is a link to her IMDB page.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3864163/?ref_=nmmi_mi_nm

It seems to have been updated - she is about 15 and 5'5" now, so probably too old for Jill.

While Raffey Cassidy did well in Tomorrowland, I'm with the folks who want an unknown actress. I looked up Lily-Rose Aslandogdu and she seems like a great fit for Jill.

Regarding bangs. All I want is a hairstyle that reflects the times. If bangs are that hairstyle, go for it. Camilla Power pulled off a great Jill with them.

I agree with others on here that the casting of Jill Pole will make or break the movie. For that reason, I feel that they need to cast a somewhat experienced actress for the role, who can carry the movie. I'm not sure what the actual age Jill Pole is in the book (12 I think), but typically in movies they tend to cast older than the age of the book character in order to find an actor/actress capable of delivering a better performance.

The first actress that comes to mind is Sophie Nélisse. The two movies I have seen her in, she has been fantastic: The Book Thief and The Great Gilly Hopkins. For me she has the acting chops that they need to carry the movie. I think she is now 17 years old, so by the time they film she may be a bit too old, but I still think she could pull it off, as she is really a fine little actress. Also, I know many believe it needs to be an English actress, and Nélisse is from French-Canada, but she pulled off a really believable German accent in The Book Thief, so I'm sure she could master a British accent if necessary.

I also thought of Bella Ramsey, who plays Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. That character is the very strong-willed head of House Mormont at only 10 years old. I think the actress who plays her is 13, so she would be a bit younger.

What does everyone think about these two?