'Huntsman: Winter's War' Set Had Kids Aplenty

Big-screen fairytale adaptations are a dime a dozen, but what we don't often see brought to the screen are the stories that precede the narratives we've grown up watching. What happened before Ariel rebelled against her father? What was Belle up to before the Beast held her hostage? And what's the origin story behind the huntsman who saves Snow White's life by carving out an animal heart instead of her own? 2015's Hunstman: Winter's War serves to answer that question.

A follow-up prequel/sequel hybrid — yes, it takes place before and after 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman, the story follows two magically inclined sisters (Charlize Theron and Emily Blunt), a female huntsman (Jessica Chastain), and the same brooding Eric (Chris Hemsworth). And while the tone of the film is quite dark, according to the cast, the mood on set was rather light. And the reason for this was because according to Hemsworth, the cast often brought their kids with them to set.

"There was a whole difference in energy because we all had our kids there on set a lot of the time. Normally a set is a tense, respectful, quiet sort of place. That was thrown out the window when the kids came," the 32-year-old Aussie says.

It's an amusing image to ponder, as most of the core cast has children: Hemsworth has three children of his own, Charlize has a son, and Blunt has a daughter — and another one on the way. That's potentially five kids running around the forested set.

"They were chasing each other around with weapons and yelling," Hemsworth says, a comment that prompts Theron to chime in: "We're raising them really well," she jokes.

Hemsworth is quick to defend his statement: "We're showing them how to survive in a malicious kingdom!"

And while the film, which boasts a PG-13 rating, may not be appropriate for their young kids just yet, eventually they'll be able to watch their own parents sling swords on stage. Perhaps the franchise will even be the first iteration of Snow White they ever see.

Man, I feel old.

Images: Universal; Tumblr