Logan: Hugh Jackman Knew Dafne Keen Was Perfect for X-23 After She Punched Him During Auditions

Hugh Jackman knew that Dafne Keen was absolutely perfect for X-23 in Logan after she punched him during auditions. Both the franchise star and director James Mangold joined Comicbook.com’s Quarantine Watch Party of the X-Men movie. There were some gems dropped over the course of the evening. But, Jackman and Mangold had to stop and compliment Keen’s performance in the film. That small relationship goes such a long way in making Logan so satisfying. Laura is a character that many people would have loved to see an entire movie about and that’s a testament to her portrayal. A lot of the fans watching along at home tonight agreed with the X-Men star when it comes to how great Keen was.

Mangold wrote on Twitter, “There’s no way this film works w/o the remarkable Daphne Keen. By the film’s 2nd half, the tables have turned & she is carrying the entire movie as Logan has retreated in sickness & self doubt. & of course, she holds the final frame.”

The series star also had plenty to say about how Keen brought X-23 to life. “When
@mang0ld came up w the character of Laura, and that the movie was in essence about family we were worried about finding the right fit. Until we met @DafneKeen. The first day we auditioned her … she punched me in the arm so hard, I was literally bruised the next day. Hired.”

A synopsis for Logan is down below:

In 2029, the mutant population has shrunk significantly and the X-Men have disbanded. Logan, whose power to self-heal is dwindling, has surrendered himself to alcohol and now earns a living as a chauffeur. He takes care of the ailing old Professor X whom he keeps hidden away. One day, a female stranger asks Logan to drive a girl named Laura to the Canadian border. At first he refuses, but the Professor has been waiting for a long time for her to appear. Laura possesses an extraordinary fighting prowess and is in many ways like Wolverine.

She is pursued by sinister figures working for a powerful corporation; this is because her DNA contains the secret that connects her to Logan. A relentless pursuit begins … In this third cinematic outing featuring the Marvel comic book character Wolverine we see the superheroes beset by everyday problems. They are ageing, ailing and struggling to survive financially. A decrepit Logan is forced to ask himself if he can or even wants to put his remaining powers to good use. It would appear that in the near-future, the times in which they were able put the world to rights with razor sharp claws and telepathic powers are now over.

Did you love Keen’s performance in Logan? Let us know in the comments!