Lost Boys Memories from Jean-Benoit Louveaux aka Peter Llewellyn Davies age 4-6!

[Dani1923]

Another interview, this time from Jean-Benoit Louveaux, who played a very a young Peter:


Well, in answer to your many questions, this goes back to when I was seven years’ old, so I only remember so much! Of course, it was a very exciting time for me, so some things have stuck (others not!)

1. What do you remember about the audition process?

The production crew toured various (private boys) schools searching for look-alikes. I remember a very large number of us congregating in a big hall – which I’m guessing must have been the BBC or somewhere they hired - from which we would be called in for individual interviews. I can’t remember the audition itself. I’m not even sure I understood what we were there for. I just happened to look like Peter so they picked me. They also picked Nicholas Borton from the same school. (By sheer coincidence, since it is not an acting school, Robert Pattinson also went to that same school years later).2. What did you know about JM Barrie, the real Peter Llewellyn Davies, or Peter Pan in general during filming?

I knew the story of Peter Pan, of course, but knew nothing of JM Barrie other than what I learned as a result of the film. Even then, I’m not sure I really felt that I was involved in a film so closely connected to Peter Pan. It was, after all, a historical period piece rather than a telling of the Peter Pan story itself.

3. What was it like filming The Boy Castaways scenes? And do you remember what forest that was filmed in?

My parents will remember where it was filmed; I can’t off the top of my head. It was exciting at times, but I remember being frustrated that Nick (Jack) and Barnaby (George) had by far the bigger roles. For instance, they got to play a game where they had to jump for suspended objects, whereas Igot excluded because I couldn’t jump high enough I expect! You see, I didn’t really understand that we were filming anything: no doubt to put me at my ease, I must have been told that we were simply rehearsing, so I thought that it was a genuine game and was a bit annoyed to be excluded from it. There was one scene where I got to walk down a path hand in hand in Ian (JM Barrie) but I tripped and fell face down in the mud. So that scene was cut. Mind you, I am not sure I was a very good actor. If you watch the scene where we are all in rowing boat, you can just about hear what sounds like the cry of a bird before we hit the bank. I was supposed to cry out in fright but must have been so unconvincing that they just left the sound in but cut me from the shot!

4. What was it like working Ian Holm, Anna Cropper, and the other adult actors?
I wasn’t really conscious that Ian Holm (or Anna) were such big actors. I only became aware of that later in life. For me, the members of the crew – well, those that I got to know anyway – were just as important.

5. What was it like working with the other child actors?

Again, I didn’t really perceive any of us as actors and, indeed, Nick and myself weren’t. Barnaby was following in his dad’s footsteps but I’m not even sure that I realised that he was related: the relationship between father and son off-screen sort of merged with that between JM Barrie and George on-screen.

5. What was it like working with Andrew Birkin and Rodney Bennett?

I don’t really have very strong memories of either other than them being around andrelatively friendly. I imagine that Rodney, in particular, had other things to do! However, I do have very fond memories of Andrew’s partner at the time, Bee Gilbert (who then went on to have children with Ian Holm). She was so lovely and warm towards me. I was very sad to hear about the loss of their son.

6. What was the environment like off-set?
There was a lot of hanging around but it was fun for me to watch. My mum accompanied me most of the time, so it did not feel that unusual or out of the ordinary. The whole experience was a bit of an adventure for me, which was fitting given the connection to Peter Pan.

7. Did you meet the older actors playing Peter?

Sadly not. Once my part was done, I was no longerrequired.

8. When was the last time you saw The Lost Boys?

About 15-20 years ago now, though I watched a few snippets in which I appeared a few years ago when someone at work found them on the Internet!