These two young actors have quite literally grown up playing Lyra and Will. “His Dark Materials” began shooting in 2018. Keen and Wilson are 17 and 18, respectively, so they were quite young at the start of filming. Although Keen had already wowed audiences with her turn as Laura in “Logan” in 2017, she has only become a better performer as this show has progressed. Same with Wilson. Both actors have really come into their own over the course of the series, which is vital, considering all the difficulties that still lie ahead for Will and Lyra. We are, after all, only halfway through the season.
Both actors have to portray a tremendous range of emotions, and often times, they need to do so opposite CGI characters. Yet, scenes with Irorek (Joe Tandberg) or Pan still come off as quite believable, which is a testament not only to the VFX department, but to all the performers involved.
“His Dark Materials” is an epic journey that is anchored by the performances of its two young stars, so if Keen and Wilson weren’t up to the task, the show simply would not work. These two are probably only just getting started. Most recently, Wilson appeared in a fantasy film called “The Magic Flute,” and Keen has been cast in the upcoming Disney+ “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte.”