In the 2023 film Peter Pan & Wendy, Jude Law plays the fearsome Captain Hook. Much like his character, the British actor managed to instill genuine fear in the children on set.
The modern adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic story introduces Wendy (Ever Anderson, daughter of Milla Jovovich) and her brothers John (Joshua Pickering) and Michael (Jacobi Jupe), who are awoken in the middle of the night by the fairy Tinker Bell (Yara Shahidi). On their journey to Neverland, they are, of course, accompanied by Peter Pan (Alexander Molony), the boy who refused to grow up and who remains the sworn enemy of Captain Hook.
According to Law, director David Lowery wanted the children’s fear of Hook to be authentic, so the actor stayed in character throughout the filming process, even off-camera. This approach allowed him to appear truly menacing and cruel in their eyes. Law described his behavior as terrible, stating that he refused to talk to a six-year-old boy, instead telling him that he was Hook and should be hated. He affirmed that the children’s fears in the film were authentic, explaining that many of their reactions were their initial responses to seeing him.
To reconcile with the children once filming ended, Law organized an ice cream truck on set, handing out treats to assure them he was not as frightening as Hook. He later remarked that nothing wins back children’s trust as quickly as chocolate ice cream. Despite the intensity of his method, he thoroughly enjoyed working alongside his young colleagues.
The actor also spoke about the challenges of preparing for the role, particularly learning sword fighting. Since Hook’s iconic prosthetic replaces the character’s right hand, Law had to train to duel left-handed, despite it being his weaker side. He described this part of the work as an incredible experience.
Director David Lowery explained that Peter Pan was one of the jewels in Disney’s collection, and while the idea of adapting it into a live-action feature was intimidating, he ultimately saw it as an opportunity too good to miss. He emphasized that the team’s goal was to deliver a version of the story that gave audiences everything they hoped for from a Peter Pan adventure, complete with large-scale spectacle.
