Peter Pan & Wendy: Sussex schoolboy with Down syndrome to make Disney history in live-action remake alongside Jude Law

Noah Matthews Matofsky, 15, from Shoreham-by-Sea, is set to appear in Peter Pan & Wendy (2023) – which is available to watch on Disney Plus tomorrow (Friday, April 28). Noah plays the role of Slightly – the leader of the Lost Boys in Neverland – in a live-action remake of the animated adventure film.

Directed by David Lowery, the film is the latest adaptation of the classic novel by J.M. Barrie that tells the story of Wendy Darling – a young girl afraid to leave her childhood home – and Peter Pan, who she travels with to the magical world of Never Land and battles against the evil Captain Hook.

In an exclusive interview with Sussex World, Noah said: "This is my first ever on-screen film. I mainly did nativity and stage plays at school so this is amazing.

“I did an audition for this film. I went through each round and eventually got the part. I loved being a part of it as I love Disney.”

The film’s casting director, Debra Zane, recently told disabilityscoop.com that the role was ‘not scripted for a Down syndrome actor’ but director David Lowery requested the search was made ‘with an eye towards actors with disabilities’.

Noah’s mum, Kate – a Brighton art gallery director – said Noah was recommended to audition for the role by his agent – who he partnered with whilst modelling with Marks and Spencer.

“The casting agent in Los Angeles trawled through agency platforms and found Noah,” Kate said. “He kept getting through to the next round all the way through the first year of lockdown.

"Each time he got through each round, it got more and more exciting until eventually we got a message from the director from Texas saying he wanted to have a Zoom with us. That was at Christmas.

“He and David Lowrie, the director, immediately hit it off. They share an absolute love for film. They spoke for ages about their love of the original Lord of the Flies film.”

The film also stars Jude Law, Ever Gabo Anderson, Alexander Molony and Yara Shahidi among others. After six-months of filming in Canada during the pandemic, Noah finally got to meet many of his fellow cast members at the red carpet premiere in Mayfair last week.

"The big screen was amazing,” Noah said. “I loved it.

“I even got a handshake from Jude Law himself. I met Ever Anderson and a few other famous people.

"It was the first time seeing myself on the big screen, it was amazing. I loved it. I had quite a few words [in the film].”

Kate said ‘it was a very proud moment’ for her personally, adding: “We also had a cast screening at Disney HQ. And then we saw it again at Mayfair. It has an enormous screen, the biggest cinema screen I've ever seen.

"That was quite something to see him up there. Seeing Noah sailing the big pirate ship was just brilliant.

"We are really proud of him. He is getting messages from all over the world. They are saying it makes them so happy to see some representation and Disney have done a great job of inclusion.

"Noah is just a force of nature. He never lets anything gets in his way. He gives his all for everything. He really has a great attitude that there's nothing he can't do really."

Noah and Kate are now looking forward to watching the film with the rest of their family and friends on Friday.

Kate: "It's exciting for them because it's been a long, long wait of two and a half years. They are desperate to see it, of course. It's a brilliant film."

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