‘Peter Pan’ Star Proud to Be First Actor With Down’s Syndrome in Major Disney Role

in Disney, Movies

Noah Matthews Matofsky

Credit: Bav Media, Disney

Peter Pan And Wendy (2023) star Noah Matthews Matofsky is only 15 years old, but he’s already breaking ground by becoming the first actor with Down’s Syndrome to land a major role in a Disney feature film, which is something everyone should be proud of.

Peter Pan at window, Peter Pan & Wendy
Credit: Disney

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Say what you want about Disney’s casting choices for their live-action adaptions, but casting an actor with Down’s Syndrome might be the best form of representation we’ve seen in the past few years from Disney’s new “woke” restructuring. Actors with Down’s Syndrome are some of the most marginalized groups in Hollywood right now. With the rise of female leads, LGBTQ community stories, and POC getting a little more of the spotlight on them (though nowhere near enough), it’s time to focus on actors representing the disabled community.

Noah Matthews Matofsky was just a regular schoolboy in West Sussex, Southern England when he heard that Disney was holding auditions for a new live-action Peter Pan film. Matofsky sent out his audition tape and was invited to meet with director David Lowery. According to Kathryn Matofsky, Noah’s mum, the two immediately hit it off thanks to her son’s confidence. Shortly after that, Matofsky was off to Vancouver for six months to film with the cast, which includes acting veteran Jude Law.

Jude Law as Captain Hook, Peter Pan & Wendy
Credit: Disney

“One of my favorite days was when Jude hired an ice cream van and brought it on set, then served us ice creams himself,” Matofsky told The Sun in a recent interview. 

Peter Pan And Wendy (2023)
Credit: Disney

As for Kathryn Matofsky, she couldn’t be prouder of her boy and knows he is cable of doing anything. “Noah is very proud of his extra chromosome,” she said. “As captain of the Lost Boys, Noah’s character Slightly shows that Down syndrome never needs to hold you back.”

Some fans have criticized the casting choices of the live-action Peter Pan, even pointing out that Slightly might not have been the best character for Matofsky to play due to the suggestive name. However, associating “slightly” with Down’s Syndrome could be a form of ignorance itself. As Kathryn Matofsky says in the interview, “It’s not a learning difficulty — it’s a learning difference, and we should embrace differences.”

Kathryn Matofsky and son
Credit: Bav Media

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You can catch Noah Matthews Matofsky and the other Lost Boys when Peter Pan and Wendy (2023) flys onto Disney+ on April 28.

Are you excited to see more Down’s Syndrome representation in film? Let us know in the comments. 

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