Actor Dafne Keen Says She Saw Drug Use as a Child Star in Hollywood

Actor Dafne Keen recently shared that she was offered drugs at Hollywood parties when she was a young teenager. Now 21 years old, Keen spoke on the Inside of You podcast hosted by Michael Rosenbaum. She gained fame as a child actor by playing the mutant Laura, also known as X-23, alongside Hugh Jackman in the 2017 film Logan. She shot that movie when she was 11 years old and it released shortly after her 12th birthday. Keen stated that witnessing substance use at a young age made her lose interest in it entirely. She noted that she was offered cocaine at wrap parties when she was 11, 12, or 13 years old, but she always said no. She continues to avoid alcohol and drugs as an adult, choosing to go out and stay out until six in the morning completely sober just to enjoy the music and dancing. As a teenager, she even lied to avoid peer pressure by pretending she had already taken something while remaining completely sober. Following her breakout role in Logan, Keen starred in the television adaptation of His Dark Materials on HBO and BBC One for three seasons. Her career continued with a role in the Star Wars series The Acolyte, and she is set to play Artemis in the third season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. She also recently reprised her role as X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine. Keen praised her former co-star Hugh Jackman for protecting her during the filming of Logan. She described him as a parental figure who gave her positive reinforcement, made sure nobody abused her working hours, kept her away from behind-the-scenes tensions, and ensured she was having fun on set.

Context

Child actors in the film industry often face intense environments and unique pressures while growing up in the public eye. Co-stars and senior crew members frequently play an important role in safeguarding younger performers and maintaining safe working conditions on film sets. Keen's experiences highlight the personal choices some young performers make to navigate these challenges and steer clear of harmful substances.