Dafne Keen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dafne Keen
Keen in 2019
Born	Dafne Keen Fernández (2005-01-04) 4 January 2005 (age 20) Madrid, Spain
Citizenship	Spain United Kingdom
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2015–present
Parent(s)	Will Keen (father)
Relatives	Laura Beatty (aunt) Alice Oswald (aunt) Edward Curzon, 6th Earl Howe (great-grandfather)

Dafne Keen Fernández (born January 4, 2005) is a talented Spanish and British actress. She started acting as a child. Dafne became famous for her role as Laura (also known as X-23) in the superhero movie Logan (2017). She also played Lyra Belacqua in the TV series His Dark Materials (2019–2022). More recently, she appeared as Jecki Lon in the Star Wars series The Acolyte (2024). She even played Laura again in the movie Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).

Her Early Life

Dafne Keen was born in Madrid, the capital city of Spain. Her father, Will Keen, is an English actor. Her mother, María Fernández Ache, is a Spanish actress, theater director, and writer. Dafne comes from a family of artists and notable people. Her great-grandfather was Edward Curzon, 6th Earl Howe. Her aunts are the poet Alice Oswald and the writer Laura Beatty.

Her Acting Journey

Dafne Keen began her acting career in 2015 when she was just 10 years old. Her first role was in the BBC television series The Refugees. In this show, she acted alongside her father, Will Keen. The series ran for one season.

Becoming a Superhero

Dafne's big break came in 2017 with the superhero film Logan. She played Laura, a young clone of the famous superhero Wolverine, who was played by Hugh Jackman. The casting director, Priscilla John, felt Dafne had a special innocence and vulnerability. The movie was a huge success and is considered one of the best superhero films ever made. Critics praised Dafne's performance. They called her "extraordinary" and "memorable" for how she showed Laura's wild but innocent side. Dafne won the Empire Award for Best Newcomer for her role. She also received nominations from many other awards.

Stepping into Fantasy Worlds

In 2018, Dafne was chosen to play Lyra Belacqua in the BBC/HBO series His Dark Materials. This show is based on a popular book trilogy. To get ready for the role, Dafne read the books very carefully. Her father, Will Keen, also appeared in the series as Hugh MacPhail. The show aired from 2019 to 2022. Dafne mentioned that she "grew up on the show." Critics loved her performance, calling her "star-studded" and "perfectly cast." She was nominated for the British Academy Cymru for Best Actress in 2020.

Dafne also starred with Andy García in the comedy-drama film Ana. She filmed this movie right after Logan in 2017. The movie was released in 2020. While reviews were mixed, Dafne's acting was praised for her "charisma and presence."

Joining Star Wars and Marvel

In 2022, Dafne joined the cast of the Star Wars series The Acolyte. The show's creator, Leslye Headland, created the character Jecki especially for Dafne after seeing her in Logan. Dafne listened to David Bowie's music to help her get into character. The series started on Disney+ in 2024.

Also in 2024, Dafne surprised fans by returning as Laura in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Deadpool & Wolverine. This movie reunited her with Hugh Jackman. It became Dafne's highest-earning film. It was also the second-highest-earning film of 2024 and the highest-earning R-rated film ever.

Dafne has more projects coming up. She will star in the horror film Whistle. She will also appear in Night Comes, which is Jay Hernandez's first movie as a director.

What Inspires Her?

Dafne Keen has shared some of her acting inspirations. She looks up to actresses like Gena Rowlands, Meryl Streep, Olivia Colman, and Jennifer Lawrence. She also admires actor Timothée Chalamet.

Her favorite movies include classic musicals like Singin' in the Rain (1952) and West Side Story (1961). She also enjoys comedies such as Some Like It Hot (1959) and Daddy's Home (2015). Some of her favorite dramas are Opening Night (1977) and In the Mood for Love (2000).

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

List of film roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2017	Logan	Laura / X-23
2020	Ana	Ana
2024	Deadpool & Wolverine	Laura / X-23
TBA	Whistle	TBA	Post-production
Night Comes	TBA	In production

Television

Podcast

• The Battersea Poltergeist (2021)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Dafne Keen para niños