The actor gives their first interview on the character’s season 1 reveal.
Warning: This article contains spoilers about Mondays episode ofHis Dark Materialstitled The Lost Boy.
For about a year, the 15-year-old had to keep a pretty major secret.
Simon Ridgway/HBO
Then, in the episodes second story arc, another child is discovered.
Though, hes still under strict orders not to talk about season 2.
Very, very, very strict orders.
I hadnt talked about it with anyone.
Cause people knew that I was announced as Will previously, a couple months before I was shown.
Im in season 1!
Had to keep it hush.
I filmed it a month before season 2 started filming.
I had a month break between filming Wills world and starting season 2.
Whats your relationship to the Philip Pullman books?
But I hadnt read the books until I got the part.
What struck you about the books?Theres always so much going on.
You have the start, the plot twist, and then you have the end.
Theres just so much going on in different worlds.
Theres nothing like it.
that Will is a very moral guy.
He always does the right thing.
Hes just a good character, really.
Hes fun to play.
He cares for the people who are close to him.
I was happy to take on that part.
What was the audition process like for this?
I imagine it was all very hush-hush.Yeah.
The audition process for me started over a year ago, actually.
I first auditioned for Will at the beginning of 2018, I think it was.
I never actually met Dafne.
I hadnt met Dafne at all during this process.
What do you remember when you first met Dafne?My first meeting with her was in Madrid.
I was filming in the Czech Republic at the time, I was filming a Netflix series.
I found out I got the role in Prague because thats where I was filming.
They had to do a lot of negotiations and stuff.
She was really lovely from the start.
I was quite nervous meeting her, but, no, we got along instantly.
What conversations did you have with Jane and Jack about introducing this character to the world?
I think Jacks great.
I love him, hes so lovely.
But, no, we didnt actually talk much about playing Will.
Through reading the scripts, I knew instantly that I loved this character.
I liked how he always cared for his mother, that hell stand up to anyone.
He doesnt like bullies.
Thats what I like about him.
He protects the people he cares about.
It was really fun.
Yeah, Id rather be boxing…
I hadnt done any boxing lessons before this and then they gave me boxing lessons.
I learned the basics of boxing from doing this.
The books and the scripts are very similar.
Nothing has really changed for Will in particular.
I ate way too many omelets that day.
That scene that you watched, I probably ate 20 omelets.
Every role Ive played has been based on a character in a book.
I think its great.
I like to add myself to the character.
What about Will would you say is you adding yourself to the character?Good question.
I mean, I dont really think about that.
I dont think about putting myself into Will.
I think it comes naturally.
Do you feel like you helped evolve this character?Yeah.
So, looking at all these amazing sets and then its just my little house on the corner.
