Directed by James Mangold and starring Dafne Keen alongside Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, Logan is widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero films ever made. The film’s excellence is attributed to both its talented cast and its director. However, credit for one of its most surprising moments undoubtedly belongs to the 19-year-old Spanish-British actress, who portrayed Logan’s daughter, Laura, also known as X-23 in the film.
Keen, who secured the role over Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, delivered an improvisation during her audition. And the filmmaker was so impressed by her improvisation that it was ultimately included in the final cut of the film.
Dafne Keen’s Improvisation Became a Memorable Moment in Logan
The 2017 film follows Logan escorting a young mutant named Laura to a safe haven, Eden. Laura remains silent initially in the film, making subtle eye movements, occasional nods, and intense screams when her claws are unleashed. However, in one of the most surprising scenes, she starts screaming at Logan in Spanish, demanding to be taken to Eden.
The spontaneous outburst was actually an improvisation by the actress portraying Laura, Dafne Keen. During her audition, Keen asked the director if she could improvise the scene and did so by passionately yelling at Hugh Jackman in a blend of Spanish and English.
In an audition clip shared by the studio, the X-Men star Patrick Stewart expressed his astonishment at Keen’s performance, particularly with her improvisation. “She went into her own version of the scene,” Stewart said before adding, “It’s one of the most extraordinary bits of audition tape I’d ever seen in my life.”
Producer Hutch Parker also praised Keen’s remarkable qualities as an actress, including her strength, stage presence, and maturity, which allowed her to excel emotionally alongside seasoned actors like Jackman and Stewart. And her performance garnered widespread acclaim in the film.
Dafne Keen Reflects on Playing X-23 in Logan
Despite her young age while starring in the film, Dafne Keen exhibited boundless energy, with producer Simon Kinberg describing her as “a freak of nature and a supernatural child,” and director James Mangold calling her “physically sharp as a tack.”
Keen also reflected on her time working on the Oscar-nominated film as she expressed a particular fondness for the physical aspects of her character. “All the wire stuff in the stunts was great, but most of all I liked being a wild animal,” she said, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Keen competed for her role in the acclaimed superhero film with Millie Bobby Brown. The Enola Holmes star has shared in an interview on Variety, that she auditioned for the role of Laura Kinney in Logan, but lost it to The Refugees actress.
“I was like, ‘It’s going to be amazing, I’m going to really prepare,” she recalled while describing it as “one of the best auditions” she has ever had. Although she did not get the part, the 20-year-old British actress commended Keen for her performance, saying that “she was incredible” in the movie.
Logan is available to stream on Disney+.
