'Peter Pan & Wendy' star Jude Law stayed in character as Hook all the way through filming to appear 'scary and mean' to the child actors: 'The reactions you see in the film' are real
Eric Zachanowich / Disney / Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Disney
- Captain Hook actor Jude Law said he stayed in character throughout the filming of "Peter Pan & Wendy."
- Law said on "The Tonight Show" that the movie's director wanted genuine reactions from the child actors.
- Law said he had to be "really scary and mean" on set to portray Hook's menacing presence.
Jude Law said that he stayed in character as the villainous Captain Hook throughout the filming of his new film, "Peter Pan & Wendy," in order to scare his child costars onscreen.
Speaking on Tuesday's episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," the "Fantastic Beasts" actor explained that the movie's director, David Lowery, wanted the young actors to have genuine reactions to Law's Hook on camera.
"David Lowery had the idea of really trying to encourage them not to see me when I wasn't Hook," Law said.
"So I just stayed as Hook the whole time, which was an opportunity just to be really scary and mean. Sounds kind of awful. I didn't want to be talking to a little 6-year-old dude, and then suddenly, it's like, 'Right. You hate me. I'm Hook. I'm Hook.'"
He continued: "So, instead, I just stuck as Hook. And, yeah, a lot of the reactions you see in the film are their reactions to me for the first time, or as the man himself, you know?"
Law went on to say that he had to bribe the young cast at the end of the movie shoot to show that he is not really mean in real life.
"They met Jude at the end," the "Captain Marvel" star said. "And I did what every adult should do to bribe children. I hired an ice cream van and I drove it on-site and gave out ice cream. Nothing like chocolate ice cream to persuade a child you're alright."
"Peter Pan & Wendy" is the latest in a long line of Disney live-action movie remakes in recent years, although the story has been adapted numerous times on screen.
"Peter Pan & Wendy," which also stars Yara Shahidi and Alan Tudyk, premieres on Disney+ on Friday.