WIELDING a sword and leaping from the deck of a pirate ship, 15-year-old Noah Matthews Matofsky had a ball on the set of latest Disney film Peter Pan & Wendy.
However the British teenager was additionally making historical past — as the primary actor with Down syndrome to land a serious function in a Disney characteristic movie.
Brit Noah Matthews Matofsky stars as Barely within the newest Peter Pan adaptation on Disney+Credit score: Disney
Noah, fourth from left, performs the chief of the Misplaced Boys within the remakeCredit score: Disney
Noah tells the way it was an ‘superb expertise’ and the way he made plenty of buddiesCredit score: Bav Media
Noah, from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, stars as Barely, the chief of the Misplaced Boys within the remake, which options an unrecognisable Jude Regulation as Captain Hook.
After touchdown the function in 2021, Noah spent six months filming in Vancouver and Newfoundland.
“It was a tremendous expertise, I had my very own trailer and made plenty of incredible buddies,” he tells The Solar.
“All of us realized sword preventing, which I cherished.
“I had plenty of strains to study in a short time, but it surely was thrilling and I actually loved it.
“I needed to go to the make-up trailer each day for them to place mud on my face.
“We might sing You’re Welcome from the movie Moana. We even did the rap half.”
The most recent remake of JM Barrie’s traditional novel, which is out on April 28, stars Alexander Molony as Peter Pan and Ever Anderson as Wendy.
{The teenager} threw himself into the motion scenes and says he significantly cherished a difficult stunt which sees the pirate ship overturn.
“All of the pirates fall into the water however Noah was left hanging the other way up from a cannon.
“They constructed a particular £60,000 rig to assist him,” explains mum Kathryn Matthews.
‘First performing job’
As a dad of seven, Hollywood star Jude is used to being surrounded by children and went out of his method to spoil the younger actors on the film.
“Certainly one of my favorite days was when Jude employed an ice cream van and introduced it on set, then served us ice lotions himself,” says Noah.
Noah talks about assembly Hollywood A-lister Jude Regulation, who performs Captain HookCredit score: Disney
Mum Kathryn explains how Noah is proud to be an actor with Down’s syndromeCredit score: Bav Media
Touchdown the function was a dream come true for the schoolboy, who boasts an encyclopaedic information of movie.
He first realized Disney was auditioning for the remake by means of inclusive expertise company Zebedee, the place he was registered as a mannequin.
After submitting audition tapes, he was invited to a web based assembly with director David Lowery — and wasn’t shy in placing himself ahead for the highest spot.
“Noah and David bonded over their love of the unique Lord Of The Flies movie, which has an analogous vibe to the feral Misplaced Boys,” says Kathryn.
“It’s superb as this was Noah’s first performing job and he was chosen from hundreds.”
The breakthrough function meant splitting the household, with Kathryn and Noah flying to Vancouver whereas dad Warren stayed at residence with Noah’s sister Lola, who was taking her GCSEs.
“It was terrifying and thrilling, as a result of we’d been in lockdown so we’d barely left the road,” says Kathryn.
“Then immediately we had this opportunity to go to Vancouver for six months. It was such an awesome alternative, we needed to go.”
Kathryn went together with her son for 3 months, then swapped locations with Warren.
For Noah, who was schooled on set, the journey was an journey. He cherished the swimming pool the place they stayed, and the snow-capped mountains.
“I appreciated Vancouver and Newfoundland a lot,” he says.
“One time, Dad and I went to a spot for cheesecake and jazz. It was superb — however I missed my sister rather a lot.”
Large sister Lola, 18, is Noah’s largest fan and was overcome with emotion when the household first noticed the film at a particular forged and crew screening.
“Lola cherished it,” stated Noah, laughing.
“She cried when the Disney brand got here up originally of the movie. She may be very pleased with me.”
Kathryn, who’s wanting ahead to the star-studded premiere on April 20, can also be bursting with satisfaction.
“Seeing him on the large display was unbelievable,” she says.
“It’s a dream for him as a result of he’s at all times been loopy about movie.
“For him to be on this huge film is superb, however Noah takes it in his stride.
“I’m so pleased with him. It was such a magical expertise — there aren’t many individuals who get to go to Neverland each day.”
Now again at college, Disney’s newest star has develop into a star.
“My buddies cherished the trailer and provides me superb compliments,” he says.
“One million individuals have requested for my autograph. I’m a little bit of a hero.”
Sue Moore, UK Children Lead at Zebedee Expertise, stated: “Zebedee represents individuals with variations and our ethos is to push our expertise ahead no matter whether or not the function is for a disabled particular person or not.
“We have been delighted when Noah was given the function.”
Noah, who attends Phoenix Theatre lessons on the weekends, now hopes to go to drama faculty and is joyful to be a trailblazer for different younger individuals with the situation.
Final week, he was over the moon when requested to be an envoy for the charity Down Syndrome UK.
“Noah may be very pleased with his further chromosome,” stated mum Kathryn.
“As captain of the Misplaced Boys, Noah’s character Barely exhibits that Down syndrome by no means wants to carry you again.
“It’s not a studying problem — it’s a studying distinction, and we should always embrace variations.”
Noah’s film function comes only a month after James Martin grew to become the primary actor with Down syndrome to star in an Oscar-winning movie, An Irish Goodbye.
Noah is eager to place throughout the message that the situation doesn’t want to carry anybody again.
“You are able to do something,” he says. “All the time dream huge.”
- Peter Pan & Wendy premieres on Disney+ on April 28.