Noah Matthews Matofsky makes history. The 15-year-old Briton is the first actor with Down syndrome to play a leading role in a Disney film. From the end of April he will be seen alongside the likes of Jude Law in Peter Pan and Wendy as Slightly, the leader of Peter Pan’s Lost Boys. In the casting, the young actor was able to assert himself against thousands of other applicants. It’s his first big role.
For about half a year, the actor was with his mother and later with his father for the shooting in Vancouver and Newfoundland. The family split up because his sister had to go to school in England. Filming was an adventure for the 15-year-old, he told the English newspaper “The Sun”. There was a lot to learn in a very short time, but the time was really exciting and he enjoyed it very much. The young actor also liked the filming locations.
Noah had the most fun in the particularly action-packed scenes. In particular, a rather complicated scene in which the pirate ship capsizes was one of the highlights for the young actor. Another highlight during filming for Noah was the day Jude Law called an ice cream truck to the set and handed out ice cream to everyone himself. The Hollywood star takes on the role of villain Captain Hook in the reimagining of the classic, which contrasts with his always friendly manner with the children on the set.
In his home country, Noah Matthews Matofsky is now a small star. Many of his friends complimented him and asked for autographs after seeing the trailer, the young actor said: “I’m kind of a hero.”
In addition to school, Noah takes acting classes on the weekends. After school, the 15-year-old now wants to do acting training even more after school. He wants to be a role model for many other young people who also have Down Syndrome and encourage them to follow their dreams. Down Syndrome shouldn’t hold anyone back, says Noah. The film opens April 28 on Disney.
Quelle: “The Sun”
