Recently, Noah Matthews Matofsky performed as part of Short Sharp Shakespeare at Crazy Coqs playing Puck alongside Leopold Benedict, and he wrote his own short film Bird Boy (script and music) alongside his mother, which was released last year and has been accepted for three international film festivals. For Noah’s first major screen role, he played Lost Boy Slightly in the 2023 live-action adaptation of Peter Pan & Wendy for Disney+, working with Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, Ever Anderson as Wendy Darling and Jude Law as Captain Hook, and Noah attended the world premiere at The Carzon Mayfair in London. Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day on Saturday 21st March, Noah worked on a project for CoorDown, and he is a patron for DSUK (Down Syndrome UK). We chatted to Noah about his recent performance at Crazy Coqs for Short Sharp Shakespeare, playing Slightly in Peter Pan & Wendy and writing his own short film Bird Boy.
You have recently performed at Crazy Coqs as part of Short Sharp Shakespeare, can you tell us about the event and what was it like taking on the role of Puck?
Well, Puck has quite a similar character to me – quite a cheeky chap – so I was really excited to take on the role. I love Shakespeare, so this was a brilliant opportunity. The other cast were all amazing actors who had performed a lot of Shakespeare, so I learnt a lot very fast.
How was it performing alongside Leopold Benedict and being in the cast of one of his shows?
It was great working with Leo Benedict and getting to perform at the legendary Crazy Coqs. I had to improvise a dance whilst Leo played piano. He’s such a great guy.
We understand you wrote your own short film last year called Bird Boy, how was it writing the script and music?
Yes! My mum and I made a short film together. We love watching the murmurations in Brighton, and it inspired us to write a story about a boy who wanted to fly.
What was it like seeing Bird Boy come together as a completed short film and what did you enjoy most about working on it?
We just made it for fun really, so we were excited to see other people loved it too. It has been accepted into three international film festivals, which is amazing. I played piano on the soundtrack, which was cool.
In the Disney+ feature film Peter Pan & Wendy, you can be seen as Slightly; how did you find the experience on set of a Disney release, and having this as your first major screen role?
It was my first ever acting job! And it was in lockdown, so it was a crazy time. We flew out to Canada in business class, which was pretty nice. I really loved the whole experience.
Do you remember how you felt when you found out you’d booked the role of Slightly and how did you prepare for filming?
Well, I definitely cried a bit with happiness. I had been auditioning all summer and I wanted the role so badly. When we got to Vancouver, I was quite surprised that there were no rehearsals! We just went straight into the first take, but I don’t get nervous at all, so it was ok.
What was it like playing one of the Lost Boys and telling the story of Peter Pan in a new live-action adaptation?
We were all great friends on set, and after work we would go home and swim in the rooftop pool. It was a dream come true really and I loved living in Vancouver, but I did miss my sister.
Did you have any favourite scenes to film and were there any you found most challenging?
My favourite scene was a scene where I had to hang upside down from a cannon during a fight scene with the pirates. They built a rig just for me. It was very expensive to build.
What do you feel you learnt from your time on set filming with the rest of the cast, which included Alexander Molony as Peter Pan, Ever Anderson as Wendy Darling and Jude Law as Captain Hook?
Well, when you get on set it is very important that you know your lines and are ready. You can sometimes work long hours and have to run from the school room to the set. One day the paparazzi were waiting to photograph us in costume. Another time it was Jacobi Jupe’s birthday and we had the quickest ever party between takes. We all went back on set with blue tongues from the cake.
How was it attending the world premiere of Peter Pan & Wendy at The Curzon Mayfair in London and seeing the film on screen for the first time?
That was one of the best days of my life. All the cast were together again in London, so we were excited to see each other. When we arrived at the cinema, I could see a big poster of me and the other Lost Boys. I loved being interviewed, and Jude Law shook my hand. It was amazing to see my name up on the massive screen in the credits.
How did you get into acting and when did you know you wanted to do it professionally?
I did a modelling job when I was about eight and that gave me the bug. I’ve always loved dressing up, and at home we have a giant dressing-up box.
What are some of your favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?
If I want to relax, I usually watch comedies like Modern Family. A film I really loved last year was A Complete Unknown with Timothée Chalamet. I also like French films and old black-and-white films.
Can you tell us about your charity work, which has seen you become a patron of DSUK (Down Syndrome UK)?
I usually do a 21 challenge every year to raise money. It’s 21 because of our extra chromosome, T21. Last year I reenacted 21 movies in three minutes, and the year before I learned to say “I love you” in 21 languages. You can see that on my Instagram. I also do public speaking at charity events to motivate people to believe you can do anything in life if you dream big.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I love to hang out with my family and play piano or ukulele. In the summer we usually go paddleboarding in the sea, and of course I love to go to the cinema and theatre.
What do you find most rewarding about working in the acting industry?
When you try really hard in your audition and then they tell you that you have got the job! Also, having fun on set with the crew.
Do you have any acting/charity projects coming up that you can tell us about, and what are you hoping this year brings for you?
I have a very big charity project which is about to come out for World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st.
I hope this year I can do more public speaking because I really love that!
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