Amid deer, by the sea, it’s an ‘Enchanted’ life

Cary Elwes, who played the Dread Pirate Roberts in “The Princess Bride” and the title character in “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” steps back into a world peopled with fantasy and royalty in the movie “Ella Enchanted.” In the fairy tale, his Prince Regent Edgar tries to woo Ella (Anne Hathaway) away from Hugh Dancy’s Prince Charmont.

Elwes, who grew up in London -- and got good use out of his accent in “Ella Enchanted” -- now has a more rustic existence in Malibu.

Salad days

If I’m not totally beat after a long day on the set, I’d probably find a nice restaurant. [My wife and I] like to go to Nobu Malibu. They have this lobster that is amazing. I highly recommend it.

Oh, then there’s Tra Di Noi, also in Malibu. They have a Fantasia Salad that is just great -- I got into the Zone, so I try to maintain [my weight] -- so a salad is good for me. I put on 40 pounds for “Cradle Will Rock.” It’s things like that that really force you to be disciplined.

Country life

Saturdays, if I’m not on location, my wife and I might go visit a restaurant in town or visit a friend. Of course, we might just hang out at the house in Malibu. We have deer in the hills near our home. We even named them. There’s one named Dorothy, one named Arthur and my wife named one Guinevere. And there’s a lot of little ones -- they’re quite promiscuous, you know.

Growing up in the city, London, was so different. I love the country now. I did live in Hollywood for a while, but I’m really happy to live where I am: sitting in my chair, just relaxing, looking at the ocean, watching the deer.

Beach life

I like to sunbathe on the beach -- any of the beaches in Southern California. We switch around.

If I don’t want to get wet, I’ll go to the Third Street Promenade. I like just walking, looking at the people. If I buy something, it’ll be home furnishings or something. I do like to read, so on the Promenade I stop in at Barnes & Noble to look around. Right now, I’m reading “The Da Vinci Code.”

When we stroll the Promenade or the boardwalk, we may pick up some snacks -- anything low carb. If we want fast food, we’ll go to Baja Fresh over in Santa Monica.

Gym dandy

I still do some kickboxing. For that, I have a gym in my home and my trainer comes by to work out with me. Once in a while I may visit his dojo -- that’s essentially like a martial arts gym.

Recently, people have been suggesting that I study yoga. It’s supposed to be good for stretching and relaxation. I want to find a place, maybe out in Calabasas, and take lessons. I also love to go horseback riding. So I’m looking into some of the ranches and stables around here to start riding.

At the movies

We might go out for a nice brunch on Sunday. We might go to the Four Seasons or somewhere in Santa Monica. During the day, we’ll go exploring -- just find some cliffs or walk on the beach. Or we might go to see a movie. The last movie that I saw was “The Passion of the Christ.” My review: “Oh, my God....” My wife had a hard time with it; it was so brutal. Now, the direction was incredible, the acting flawless. Unfortunately, I had to leave. My wife couldn’t take it.

-- Carolyn Patricia Scott