‘Logan’: Footage Of Dafne Keen’s Audition For X-23 Released

While Logan may have been Hugh Jackman’s final appearance as the titular hero after playing the role for nearly twenty years, the film also introduced audiences to a brand new character. Making her feature film debut, Laura Kinney/X-23 instantly won over audiences with her ferocious fighting skills and a moving performance by actress Dafne Keen. The character proved to be so popular that many fans are now calling for the character to receive her own spin-off film.

With the Blu-Ray release of the film nearly one week away, a short clip from a special feature on the home release has been unveiled revealing a clip from Keen’s audition for the role which also includes commentary from Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, and producer Hutch Parker. Stewart recalled how director James Mangold showed him footage of Keen’s audition and praised the young actresses performance:

“It was one of the most extraordinary bits of audition tape I’d ever seen in my life.”

Parker discussed the qualities Keen displayed during her audition that made her the right choice for the role:

“There are qualities you can’t ask of someone to deliver. A level of strength, a sort of stage presence and a maturity that still doesn’t really make sense to me. It felt like she could do this most difficult thing of, on the one hand, being the sort of emotional co-star with Hugh [Jackman] and with Patrick and on top of that then also manage the physicality, which was pretty demanding. She was really a remarkable discovery.”

Jackman recalled his experience working with Keen and revealed that she left an impression on him that no other co-star has managed:

She came for the audition and there’s a scene where she punches me in the arm. I went home and I had bruises all over my arms. No offense to all the guys I’ve fought, but I’ve never gone home with bruises until that day.”

You can watch Dafne Keen’s audition video below.

Considering Dafne Keen delivered a powerful performance and X-23 instantly became one of the most popular characters in Fox’s X-Men universe, it appears that the creative team behind the film made the right decision in casting Keen as the young mutant.

In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.

Directed by James Mangold, the film stars Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant, Eriq LaSalle, Elizabeth Rodriguez, and Boyd Holbrook.

Logan will be available on Digital HD tomorrow May, 16, followed by the Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD release on May 23. You can check out the special features included with the home release of the film here.