Work - and play - on the London set of new Film Neverland, based on the life of Peter Pan's Creator.

Between scenes, Kate played with her daughter, Mia, who was fascinated by the cones and security tape (right).

While Johnny Depp is dressed for dinner. Kate Winslet barely looks ready for breakfast. The talented acting duo were pictured in differing stages of costume on the set of their latest film, Neverland. Johnny's children were with their mother. Vanessa Paradis, in their home town of Paris but Kate brought her daughter, Mia, to have a look around the set in London's Hyde Park.

At one point, Kate took a lengthy phone call, perhaps from her current beau, Sam Mendes.

The beautiful English actress giggled as 22- month-old Mia played with some nearby traffic cones and security tape. Then the mother and daughter took a ride on one of the buggies that ferry the cast from their luxurious trailers to the location. Kate later discarded the bathrobe to reveal a beautiful aquamarine gown as she prepared herself for the next scene. During a break in filming. Kate took a call on her mobile, perhaps from her boyfriend of eight months, critically acclaimed director Sam Mendes.

Kate and Johnny met in June, days before shooting commenced, to get to know each other and break the ice before the cameras started rolling. Kate and Sam went for dinner at the trendy Vietnamese restaurant Bam-Bou in central London, where Johnny joined them at around ten o'clock. The heart-throb actor now lives in Paris and adores the quiet life in the French capital. Before settling clown as a family man, Johnny was a regular face on the hedonistic Hollywood party scene, hut he now prefers to spend time with his wife. Vanessa Paradis, and their two children, Lily-Rose, three, and Jack, who was born in April this year.

He has long been one of Hollywood's hottest - and least predictable - talents and has never been afraid of taking a risk in his choice of roles. Johnny and his trademark cheekbones - usually covered in stubble but shown to good effect in Neverland, in which he is clean shaven - have graced such diverse films as the Gothic Edward Scissorbands and Sleepy Hollow, the surreal Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, the drugs racket story Blow and the romantic comedy/drama Cbocolat.

While she waited for her next scene, Kate Winslet protected her costume with a bathrobe

Nererland is the story of author James Matthew Barrie, who most famously wrote the children's classic Peter Pan. In this turn-of-the-century tale, Johnny, 39, plays the Scot writer, while Kate, 26, plays a young widow who grows close to Barrie.

In order to crack the Scottish accent needed for the role, Depp sought the help of a voice coach. It appears Johnny learned his lesson after his cockney accent in his last movie, the Jack the Ripper story From Hell, came in for heavy criticism. Nererland, due to be released in 2003, has an impressive supporting cast. Dustin Horfman plays the theatrical producer Charles Frohman. The double Oscar-winning actor is familiar with the work of Barrie after playing Captain Hook in the 1991 film Hook, which was based on the Peter Pan book. Screen siren Julie Christie, now 61, plays Emma du Maurier, the mother of Kate Winslet's character. The film also boasts talent behind the camera in the form of director Marc Forster. The German filmmaker received rave reviews for his adroit handling of the moving film Monsters Ball, which won Halle Berry an Oscar.

JM Barrie was an intriguing figure, who himself stopped growing when he reached five feet in height - echoing Peter Pan, who never grows up. The tale of Peter Pan was inspired by the five young sons of two of Barrie's friends. When his friends died, Barrie became their guardian.

FEATURE BY ROB CHILTON