In a humorous twist, the UK government has issued a specimen passport to one of the nation’s most beloved characters, Paddington Bear, officially known as Paddington Brown. For over sixty years, Paddington, a fictional bear from Peru, has charmed audiences and now joins the ranks of British citizens with his very own passport.

Rob Silva, co-producer of the latest Paddington film, shared with Radio Times that the Home Office responded positively to their request for a passport replica, humorously noting that the document indicates Paddington’s status as a bear. “We wrote to the Home Office asking if we could get a replica, and they actually issued Paddington with an official passport – there’s only one of these,” Silva remarked. He showcased the document, complete with Paddington’s photo, and said, “You wouldn’t think the Home Office would have a sense of humor, but under official observations, they’ve just listed him as Bear.”

Voice actor Ben Whishaw, who brings Paddington to life in “Paddington in Peru,” revealed that the specimen passport wasn’t necessary during filming since he recorded his lines in a studio located underground in central London. He noted, “I never met Antonio [Banderas] or Olivia [Colman] for this film, but I hope I will at some point, because I watched their performances and enjoyed them so enormously. On Paddington 2, I never saw Hugh Grant, not once.”

Whishaw expressed a wish to visit Peru and Colombia during production, saying, “I would have loved to have gone to Peru and Colombia, but I didn’t get to go. I was just in a basement in Soho the entire time.”

When asked about the secret to creating Paddington’s voice, Whishaw admitted, “I don’t like to think about that really. I have no idea what I’m doing when I do it. It’s not any different from my own voice; it’s not like I’m putting on a voice, but it is somehow different.” He elaborated, “Obviously, he’s saying Paddington-ish things, and then it’s just trial and error. It really comes down to the tiniest little breaths and the tiniest intonations and what works with the animation.”

Interestingly, while some actors believe they pour themselves into their characters, Whishaw revealed a personal quirk: “I don’t like the marmalade that goes into making Paddington’s favorite sandwiches. It really doesn’t agree with me at all, but I am a big Marmite lover. Marmite with Lurpak butter on toast is, to me, pretty much heaven.”

In the latest installment of the franchise, Paddington heads back to his birthplace to visit Aunt Lucy, only to find that she has gone missing during a scientific mission, a storyline introduced by a guitar-playing nun portrayed by Olivia Colman. Antonio Banderas plays a daring sailor who aids them in their search.

The decision to film in Colombia instead of Peru sparked some controversy. Lawmaker Adriana Tudela proposed new legislation aimed at rejuvenating Peru’s film industry, citing “lack of incentives and the high number of national and local bureaucratic barriers to filming in Peru” as key reasons for the choice of location.