Photo by Courtesy of IFC/Shudder – © Courtesy of IFC/Shudder
Versatile performers often portray characters who journey across distant worlds, exploring unfamiliar realms and encountering otherworldly beings. Acclaimed Spanish and British actress Dafne Keen has been garnering international acclaim since her breakout role at only 12-years-old in Logan.
The Critics’ Choice Awards nominee has been bringing emotional truth to extraordinary settings since the 2017 release of the superhero feature, which was her first movie role. After reprising her role as Laura in Deadpool & Wolverine, she continues to ground her performances in even the most fantastical environments.
Besides starring in the X-Men films, Keen has also garnered attention for her portrayals on several television series over the past decade. She played Lyra Belacqua on His Dark Materials and Jecki Lon on Star Wars: The Acolyte. Her most recent television appearance was as Artemis on the third season of Percy Jackson and The Olympians.
Keen generously took the time this past weekend to talk about her most famous films and television shows during a panel at Fan Expo Philadelphia 2026. During the conversation, the actress discussed her breakout role as Laura in Logan, exploring how her understanding of the character has deepened over time. She also highlighted her growth as an actress across such emotionally rich, character-driven fantasy worlds as His Dark Materials, Star Wars: The Acolyte and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
©Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
Q: Let’s start with Logan, because Laura is such an iconic character. When you look back at Laura, what do you think you understand about her now that maybe you didn’t when you first played her?
Dafne Keen: I think she’s such a complex, layered character. The way James Mangold wrote her in Logan was wonderful because she’s so complex within her trauma. Looking back now, I can see she’s very much someone who is in a trauma response but doesn’t really realize it. That’s something I’ve come to understand more with age.
I think her attachment to Wolverine is really beautiful. She’s looking for a family and a home. She feels rejected by the world and pushed aside. That’s something I understood as much as an 11-year-old could understand. Coming back to the character years later was lovely because I got to look at her from a more analytical, psychological lens.
Q: Laura barely speaks throughout the movie, but she communicates through her actions and physicality. What was the challenge of conveying emotion through physicality alone?
Dafne Keen: That’s wrapped up in who she is. She was never allowed to speak. She was treated like a machine, an object. The only way she was allowed to express herself was through violence. Like Florence Hugh’s character (of Yelena Belova in the MCU), Laura has a hard time with human emotion, even though she still feels it.
It was really fun to design the movement for her because it was very animalistic but also incredibly efficient. She’s diligent and focused because all she’s ever done is train to be a weapon, which is kind of brutal.
Q: Hugh Jackman has always been such a champion of yours. As you’ve gotten older and built your own career, has your relationship with him changed?
Dafne Keen: Relationships shift, but he’ll always be a mentor to me. He’s like a father figure. He’s the best. I feel so blessed that he was my first proper star experience because he’s so humble, wonderful, generous, caring and excited about the work. I’ll always look up to him.
Q: Do you have any fun stories about Hugh that most people wouldn’t know?
Dafne Keen: He was so good during that time. He’d make sure I was okay on set. He advocated for me, and made sure no one was going over my child-work hours. I hung out with him and his kids. He took us to a water park. He found out I’d never tried Dippin’ Dots, so he brought me some to set and insisted I try them. I love him.
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Q: You’ve also worked with Sir Patrick Stewart. What was it like working with him?
Dafne Keen: Equally wonderful and lovely. Honestly, it was such a wonderful set that it set me up for failure because you’re never going to get a group of such massive household names who are that humble and lovely.
They’re both incredible actors, which makes acting with them easy. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate how brilliant Patrick Stewart was. Now I’ve watched so much of his work and his Shakespeare performances, and he’s incredible. I wish I could work with him again now and just ask him a million questions.
Q: You were able to reprise Laura in Deadpool & Wolverine. If you got to play her again, what would you like to explore?
Dafne Keen: I’d love to know what she was doing during all those years and how she grew as a person. How much of that pain she still carries with her. That’s what’s so beautiful about her relationship with Wolverine—they recognize each other’s wounds.
I think it would be really cool to see her in a group setting, collaborating with other people. I’d love to find out who she’s grown to be.
Q: Is there a character in the MCU you’d love to work with?
Dafne Keen: I just did a movie with Anthony Mackie, and I’d love to do more with him. He’s a legend. I also really love Yelena. Working with Florence Pugh would be really cool. I’d also love to work with Channing Tatum again.
Q: Turning to His Dark Materials, Lyra is such a different character from Laura. What did playing her mean to you?
Dafne Keen: It was a massive switch. I always approach characters through their wounds because that’s how I empathize with them.
Lyra is also seeking affection and family. What’s wonderful about her is that she’s not perfect. She’s a liar. She’s sharp and astute, but what saves her is that she genuinely wants to be better. That’s such a rare quality. Playing someone in pursuit of self-betterment and goodness was really fun.
©Photo by Nick Wall
Q: Was there a moment where you felt you truly understood Lyra?
Dafne Keen: I had so many moments where I thought I understood her and then realized I didn’t. She’s constantly evolving.
The moment I felt I really had her was near the end when she realizes she’s in love with Will. For the first time, she’s allowing herself to feel love in a safe place, and it’s returned. After everything she’d been through, that was huge for her.
Q: The ending hit people really hard. Do fans still come up to you emotionally devastated by it?
Dafne Keen: Yes. Philip Pullman (who wrote the trilogy of novels the show is based on) was pretty savage with that ending. They become the loves of each other’s lives and then never see each other again.
Shooting it was incredibly emotional because it was one of our last days. Amir (Wilson) and I had been working together for years. We’d basically grown up together on that set.
Q: Turning to Percy Jackson and the Olympians, you’re taking on the role of Artemis. What was your initial reaction when you landed the part?
Dafne Keen: I was so excited. My family loves Greek mythology. I’m named after the myth of Apollo and Daphne. Artemis is my mom’s favorite goddess, so it was really exciting.
The scale of the show’s first season also blew me away. Then I got to set and realized it was even bigger than I imagined. The set design and costumes are incredible.
Q: Is there a piece of wardrobe that instantly helps you get into character?
Dafne Keen: Absolutely. Clothes change how you carry yourself. Laura’s jeans and T-shirt let her move freely. The Jedi robes (on Star Wars: The Acolyte) were so heavy they naturally made you stand in a more disciplined, almost samurai-like way.
Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd./Lucasfilm Ltd. – © 2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Q: Speaking about Star Wars: The Acolyte, Jecki Lon is one of those characters fans immediately fall in love with, and they want more from her. Did you feel that love right away from the character’s fans while you were filming or when it came out?
Dafne Keen: Yes, definitely. So Charlie Barnett, who played Yord Fandar, and I were like, “No one’s going to remember us. We’re so small.” Then we turned our phones on and there was the Yord Horde. That was really exciting. We were all such Star Wars fans. Fans received the characters very positively, which was really exciting to see.
Q: How long did you train with the lightsaber for before you began filming?
Dafne Keen: We did four months of 4 hours a day. We did bodyto- body combat, kung fu and saber training, and force training every day.
Q: What’s your favorite behind-the-scenes memory from any project?
Dafne Keen: We had some really funny days on Percy Jackson, but I can’t talk about them yet. The final battle day on Deadpool & Wolverine was really fun because we were all geeking out. It was a great day.
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