Jude Law says he could not believe just how professional his pre-teen Skeleton Crew co-stars were when he first showed up to set.
Chatting with Decider about the new Star Wars universe Disney+ series, Law — who also shared that joining the franchise checks off a bucket list item — said that working with the four young stars of the show was not only a breeze but enjoyable to say the least.
“The thing that really struck me initially was just how accomplished they were as actors,” Law told Decider. “They really turned out ready and very able and professional and were keen to learn. You know, open in that capacity. But then they were kids so they also brought this goofy, silly, playful approach, which is — I think — often needed, especially in a piece that’s tonally like this.”
While Law certainly commands the audience’s attention every time he is on screen, it’s really Robert Timothy Smith, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, and Ravi Cabot-Conyers who lead the Jon Watts and Christopher Ford project for Disney and LucasFilm.
It’s no surprise that the juvenile stars of the show were ready day in and day out, though. Most of the kids have been in Hollywood for years. Armstrong previously starred alongside Zac Efron in Peacock’s remake of Firestarter while Cabot-Conyers worked with Rashida Jones and Kenya Barris in Black AF and voices the character of Antonio in Disney’s Encanto. As you can see, the kids are pros and were perfect to take the reins for the new Disney+ series.
Skeleton Crew follows four youngsters who stumble upon an old spaceship on their home planet and accidentally jump through hyperspace and into an unknown galaxy. Desperate to find their way home, the four children must work together with Jod Na Nawood (Law) — a human with Force powers — to navigate their way back to their home planet safely.
While Neel (Smith), Fern (Armstrong), KB (Kratter), and Wim (Cabot-Conyers) are scared and alone in an unfamiliar space — literal outer space, that is — the subject matter and the franchise allowed for a set to feel like a playground of sorts. Law told Decider that he found it exhilarating to work with actors who found joy both on and off-screen.
“It keeps the levity up and [reminded me] it should feel like play,” Law explained. “I was thinking about this the other day. My approach really was that we were to go on an adventure together and we were going to get to know each other on this adventure.”
Law added that he didn’t give the four kids at the center of the show much advice (he tries not to do that with young actors), but the Skeleton Crew set did become a place of learning for him and the children. As opposed to finding a baseline connection through a bonding experience– something a lot of actors do at the start of filming for a TV show or movie — Law said they jumped straight in and found a true dynamic along the way.
“It wasn’t a case of let’s all go out for the day and get to know each other. It really started on set,” The Talented Mr. Ripley Oscar nominee said. “And then as the series evolved, the relationships evolved. I think you’ll see that coming through.”
The actor isn’t the only one who found the kids easy to work with, though. Ford and Watts also spoke with Decider ahead of the December 2 release and sang the praises of the four actors who they said are wise (and talented) beyond their years.
“We didn’t need to tell them anything. We just wanted to set it up for them so that it would be really fun,” Ford shared.
The first two episodes of Skeleton Crew are available on Disney+. New episodes release weekly on Tuesdays at 9 p.m.ET.