Dafne Keen, who broke out as Laura Kinney, aka X-23, in “Logan,” has opened up about growing up as a child actor in Hollywood, revealing that she was offered cocaine at a wrap party when she was just 11. She also recalled how co-star Hugh Jackman looked out for her as a minor and made sure the demands of the set did not take a toll on her.
Now 21, Keen recently appeared on the “Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum” podcast, where she said she was exposed to Hollywood’s party culture at an early age. Before she was even a teenager, she had already seen people in the entertainment industry using alcohol and drugs—experiences that ultimately shaped her own attitude toward drinking and partying.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been drunk enough to have a hangover. I’m such a control freak about that,” Keen recalled. “As a child actor, I saw so much of it when I was young that I had no interest whatsoever. I was even offered cocaine at wrap parties when I was tiny—11, 12 or 13. After seeing all of that, I just thought, ‘I’m really not interested.’ Thankfully, I always said no.”
Despite being exposed to adult party culture at such a young age, Keen said the experience never made her curious about trying drugs. Even as an adult, she continues to live without relying on alcohol or other substances and does not believe drinking is necessary to enjoy a night out.
“I genuinely don’t need any of that,” she explained. “I’ll still go out and stay until 6 a.m., but I’ll be completely sober. I’m just there to enjoy the atmosphere because I love music, I love dancing and I love being around people.”
“When I was a teenager, I would even lie to avoid peer pressure. I’d tell people, ‘No, I’m good. I don’t want a drink—I already took something else.’ But I was completely sober. I was the biggest goody two-shoes imaginable.”
Beyond discussing Hollywood’s party scene, Keen also looked back on making 2017’s “Logan.” She was only 11 when she landed her first major Hollywood role, sharing numerous scenes with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Working hours and on-set conditions can be especially important for young performers entering the film industry, and Keen said Jackman took it upon himself to watch over her throughout the production.
“He gave me so much positive encouragement and so much great advice, and he was always incredibly kind to me,” she said. “He was the best first leading man—and the best on-screen father—I could have asked for.”
“He really made me feel like he was looking after me as a parent would. He made sure no one took advantage of my working hours, that I was having fun on set and that I never became aware of any tension or conflict happening behind the scenes. He was incredibly protective of me and unbelievably kind.”
After earning international attention for “Logan,” Keen went on to star in “His Dark Materials” and the Star Wars series “The Acolyte.” She later returned as X-23 in “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
Looking back on her years as a child actor, Keen’s memories reveal two starkly different sides of Hollywood: She was exposed to drugs and adult party culture far too early, but she also found support and protection from a veteran co-star while making “Logan.”