
The famous adage by W.C. Fields, "Never work with children or animals," was clearly disregarded by the creators of "Nim's Island." Inspired by Wendy Orr's 2002 children's novel, the film tells the story of a young girl living on a remote tropical island with her marine biologist father and a collection of unusual animal companions. Imagine "The Swiss Family Robinson" but with modern Internet connectivity.
Abigail Breslin, the 11-year-old Oscar-nominated star of "Little Miss Sunshine," portrays Nim, a clever and independent girl. When her father, Jack (Gerard Butler from "300"), embarks on a research trip and fails to return, Nim is left alone in her treehouse. She contacts her beloved adventure author, Alex Rover, via e-mail, unaware that she's actually communicating with Alexandra Rover (Jodie Foster), the reclusive and anxious creator of the fictional hero. Alexandra must overcome her fears to leave her San Francisco home and help Nim. Butler also plays the imaginary Alex Rover, who guides and motivates Alexandra throughout her journey.
Directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett, who co-wrote the script with Joseph Kwong and producer Paula Mazur, faced no major challenges with the human cast. However, the real stars of "Nim's Island" are the animals. While modern technology can create digital creatures, the sea lions, pelicans, lizards, and other wildlife in the film are mostly real, with only a few animatronic and computer-generated exceptions. These animals brought their own unique challenges and demands to the production.
Discover how the filmmakers and cast managed the animals, the challenges of filming on location in Australia, the stunt sequences, and other elements that brought this action-packed adventure to life on screen.
Creature Feature

"Animals vary in temperament and ease of handling. If you're working with animals, sea lions are an excellent choice—they're intelligent, friendly, and highly trainable," explains co-director Mark Levin. Spud and Friday, two sea lions from Sea World Australia, played the character Selkie and were already skilled in performing tricks like kissing, saluting, and hugging.
Since the sea lions had no prior experience in filmmaking, they needed time to adjust to the cameras, lighting, and crew. Building a bond with Abigail Breslin was also crucial. Trainers Katie Brock, known for her work on "Babe: Pig in the City," and John Medlin had Breslin interact with the sea lions daily, petting and feeding them fish before filming began. "She played a significant role in their training and became deeply involved in the process," notes producer Paula Mazur.
Breslin, who owns two dogs, two cats, and a turtle, and dreams of becoming a veterinarian if her acting career doesn’t pan out, quickly formed a connection with the 400-pound sea lions. "They’re so affectionate—they’ll come right up to you and give you kisses," she shares.
The sea lions played a pivotal role in shaping the film’s production schedule, according to Levin. "They were restricted to the studio lot and couldn’t be taken to the beach, as there was a risk they might escape." This limitation led to the creation of an animatronic replica for beach scenes. Using Friday as a reference, animatronic supervisor John Cox crafted a lifelike model covered in fur and oil to mimic a wet appearance. He also designed animatronic sea turtles, conducting research trips to Sea World to study and photograph real specimens.
Stand-ins were also used for a scene where Nim launches several lizards into the air. However, the bearded dragon portraying her pet, Fred, was real—though five different reptiles shared the role. "We rotated them," Levin explains. "They’re kept in a cool igloo-like container, and as they warm up, they become more irritable and less cooperative. The lizard would often perch on Abby’s shoulder, but once it got too warm, it would climb onto her head, forcing us to swap it out for a cooler one."
Eliciting reactions from the lizards required immense patience. "If you leave the camera rolling long enough and dangle enough bugs in front of them, they’ll eventually turn their heads," Levin notes. Co-director Jennifer Flackett provided sounds to give Fred a "voice." However, getting him to dance was impossible without digital assistance.
"We consulted the trainers about the sea lions’ abilities and incorporated those into the script, like the dancing scene," Levin says. "But for the lizards, we had to rely on computers to make them dance."
Breslin initially found the bearded dragons unsettling, but she eventually warmed up to them. "At first, they freaked me out, but I got used to them," she admits. During filming, one of the dragons, Goblet, laid a dozen eggs. The first hatchling was named Nim, and the second was called Abigail.
Gerard Butler, who played both Jack and Alex, "had the versatility and charm to bring both characters to life," says co-director Mark Levin. Initially, two actors were planned for the roles, but Jodie Foster proposed having one actor handle both. Following his success in "300," Butler was highly sought after. "Everyone was thrilled to have him on board," producer Paula Mazur recalls.
Butler's co-stars were among his biggest admirers. Foster notes that they both relished playing against type: "I’m poking fun at my usual fearful roles, and he’s doing the same with his heroic ones."
Abigail Breslin dubbed Butler the biggest prankster on set, and he was also known for his colorful language, frequently contributing to the set’s swear jar. "We raised $150 and donated it to the [Australian ASPCA]," Breslin shares.
Computer Generation

Sea World Australia provided pelicans for the role of Galileo, trained to fly on cue. However, co-director Mark Levin notes that the birds were challenging to work with. Jennifer Flackett adds that they presented a unique hazard: "They’re attracted to shiny objects, like eyes, and tend to snap at them."
A sequence where Galileo carries a tool belt in flight and the island’s volcano were both created using computer-generated imagery. Additionally, several green screen scenes were employed—the team constructed a beach on the studio lot, filmed the sea lion against the screen, and later integrated it into ocean footage.
"We aimed for a nostalgic 1980s vibe," Flackett explains. "How would you achieve this without relying on CGI? For instance, when Jack leaps from his boat into the ocean, the underwater scene was filmed in a tank, requiring meticulous matching of shots."
The movie blends authentic rainforest footage with scenes filmed on a soundstage. Production designer Barry Robison used sustainable materials like bamboo and biodegradable plastics to build an eco-friendly treehouse powered by solar and wind energy, complete with a rainwater collection system. Artificial mist was added to create a damp, tropical atmosphere.
Filming began in mid-July 2007 and lasted four months on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Australia. The location was selected for its pristine rainforests, beaches, the untouched beauty of Hinchinbrook Island, and the availability of skilled local crews and facilities.
With assistance from locals, the crew managed to avoid seasonal jellyfish swarms. However, no amount of planning could prevent the unusually rainy winter. "There had been a nine-year drought in the region, and our arrival seemed to end it," Levin jokes. "But you adapt. If it rains, you shoot rain scenes."
Co-directors Levin and Flackett, who are also married, collaborated seamlessly without rigidly defined roles. "Our division of tasks is quite fluid," Levin explains. "I might lean slightly more toward technical aspects, but overall, we handle everything together."
"They do have a division of labor, though I’m not sure they’re fully aware of it—but we all notice it," Jodie Foster remarks. "Their dynamic is shaped by their marriage, and it’s intriguing to see how effectively it works for them."
Foster, who has directed films herself, can’t imagine co-directing with anyone. "That’s something I’ll never do," she states firmly. "Feel free to quote me on that."
Nim's Island Stuntwomen

Jodie Foster used a stunt double for a scene where she fell face-first onto exercise equipment but performed her other stunts independently. "It was a relatively calm shoot, just really cold," she recalls.
Breslin relied on a stunt double for much of a rock-climbing sequence but handled running, swimming, and zip-lining herself. Though she felt confident in the water beforehand, she admits, "Once I got there, I realized I wasn’t as strong a swimmer as I thought." Despite this, she fearlessly filmed an underwater scene riding sea lion Selkie, who had hidden handles for her to grip.
The directors believe Breslin was ideal for the role of Nim. "Not many 11-year-olds can carry an entire film on their own," Levin remarks. "She possesses the skill and experience to truly shine as the lead."
Breslin, a native New Yorker, "was initially nervous about heights and certain challenges during rehearsals," Flackett recalls. "But by the end, she had transformed. It really boosted her confidence."
Foster was captivated by the film’s empowering message for girls and wanted to create a movie her sons could enjoy—her eldest, Charles, had already read the book. After intense dramas like "The Brave One" and "Flightplan," she welcomed the comedic shift. She had been searching for a comedy for years without success. When she read the "Nim's Island" script, she actively pursued the role, even "knocking down doors." Directors Levin and Flackett supported her, but the studio was hesitant. "She hadn’t done comedy in a while, so there was some reluctance, but we knew she’d excel," Levin explains.
"I’ll always be drawn to dramatic roles," Foster says. "I’ll occasionally do comedies, but they have to resonate with me. My humor tends to be dry, sharp, and a bit edgy."
- Abigail Breslin stars in "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl," releasing June 20, based on the Depression-era American Girl doll series. She’ll then appear alongside Cameron Diaz in "My Sister's Keeper," playing a child born to save her terminally ill sister.
- Jodie Foster isn’t ready to reveal her next project. "I’m focusing on directing right now," she says. Directors Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett are also keeping their plans under wraps but contributed to the script for "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D," set for release in July.