Ben Barnes interview and new Prince Caspian stills

The first film inspired by C.S. Lewis' seven-part Chronicles of Narnia had much to offer beyond The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. There was the faun (James McAvoy's sweet Mr. Tumnus), the talking beavers and Santa, too.

But with a quartet of mostly unseasoned child actors as the Pevensie kids, the 2005 release was severely lacking in an elixir that fuels many fantasy epics: sex appeal.

But that was then. This is wow. Ben Barnes, 26, the British newcomer who plays the title role in Prince Caspian, has visitors to the film's Internet Movie Database message board virtually drooling.

The graduate of London's Kingston University can't believe he's playing the main character from one of his favorite childhood tales.

"It still hasn't sunk in," he says. "It's been a whirlwind."

One minute, Barnes was doing an audition tape in London. The next, he was in L.A., charming director Andrew Adamson. A couple of weeks later, he stood on Narnia's set in New Zealand.

Anna Popplewell, who co-stars as Susan, says Barnes might need to invest in bodyguards soon.

"He's very gorgeous," says the actress, 19.

Another factor worked in his favor: He's a good fibber.

"I didn't lie," Barnes insists. "I just exaggerated the truth. They said, 'Can you ride a horse?' I said, 'Yes.' I did not say I understood the intricacies of genuine horsemanship."

He took a crash course, along with sword-fighting lessons. By the end, "I was able to swim horses through rivers and slalom through pillars. It was good fun."

But if the filmmakers had asked if he had ever been in a boy band, Barnes could have honestly replied in the affirmative. His performance as a would-be Justin Timberlake in a pop group called Hyrise can be found on a YouTube video.

"My pop career lasted for all of 4½ minutes," says Barnes. As for teasing on set, "They were dancing to it, no matter what they say."

He won't have to sing for his supper any time soon. He just begun work on Easy Virtue, a romantic comedy with Jessica Biel.

His Narnia adventures continue aboard a ship in 2010's The Dawn Treader.

He knows naught about nautical matters. "If they ask, I'll answer with a big, fat no. I have the job."
[source]