Louis Serkis is The Kid Who Would be King – Teens Are the Future

By: Lynn Barker

Louis Serkis, age 14, has already followed in famous dad Andy’s footsteps by taking on a motion capture role as Bhoot in the Mowgli film.

Now out on Blu-ray is his recent adventure film The Kid Who Would be King in which Louis plays Alex, an ordinary kid who pulls King Arthur’s famous sword Excalibur from a stone and must unite his friends and enemies and team up with the legendary wizard Merlin (Sir Patrick Stewart), to take on evil enchantress Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson). He’ll have to be the heroic leader he never dreamed he could be.

The Kid Who Would Be King Trailer

Louis answered our questions about fun on the film, how he is like and different from his character, how he hopes kids and teens can build a better future and much more. Check it out!

Kidzworld: What is the best acting advice your dad or mom ever gave you? (Note: Louis’s mom is actress Lorraine Ashbourne)?

• Louis: Research the play or film and your character as much as you possibly can.

Kidzworld: Great advice. What kind of stunt or sword fighting training did you have for the film?

• Louis: Well, first of all we had intensive training just to keep fit. We then learned various sword fighting techniques. Then we were taught the fight routines for the film, which we practiced again and again! The stunt team who taught us was brilliant!

Kidzworld: So much fun! While growing up did you see your dad on sets doing motion capture work (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars films, Planet of the Apes films and more)?

• Louis: Yes. I actually played the character “Bhoot” in Mowgli – a fully motion-captured role. It’s basically just acting.

Kidzworld: Wow, cool! Do you think kids and teens have what it takes to make our world better? What would you most want to do toward this goal?

• Louis: We are the future. I think teenagers today are more accepting of others. It would be a better world if we were all treated the same.

Kidzworld: For sure. When you got the role in The Kid Who Would be King, were you familiar with the legend of King Arthur and his Knights? If so, did you learn it from books or movies?

• Louis: Like most people, I knew the legend of King Arthur. I read Michael Morpurgo’s version of the story (novel for kids and teens “Arthur: High King of Britain”).

Kidzworld: How are you most like your character Alex? How are you different?

• Louis: Alex has a conscience. He believes in fairness and loyalty. I’d like to think I do too. Alex has had a difficult relationship with his absent father who he misses terribly.  Even though my Dad has been away a great deal, I’ve always felt close to him.   

Kidzworld: Were you ever bullied at school or online? If so, how did you handle it?

• Louis: I’ve never been bullied, but I know what it’s like to be excluded and it’s horrible.

Kidzworld: So many of us can relate to that. Which was your most enjoyable scene to film and why?

• Louis: The scene in the lake has to be one of my top days on set. They built a massive replica of the lake in the studio and (the water) was warm. Loads of people jumped in once we wrapped.

Kidzworld. Sounds like fun. Was there a big prankster or jokester on set?

• Louis: Joe Cornish, our director, was the biggest joker.  

Kidzworld: Were you able to keep a prop Excalibur sword or anything else from the film?

• Louis: We were lucky enough to be given a sword each. I keep it in my room.  

Kidzworld: Do you stay in touch with anyone you met on set?

• Louis: (The kids who played) the knights still see each other. We hope we always will.

Kidzworld: Did the filmmakers get the younger cast together early to get to know each other and bond? If so was it over dinner or…what?

• Louis: Before we started filming, we spent loads of time together training, so by the time we came to shoot we were best mates.  

Kidzworld: If you could perform a spell that would duplicate coins into a whole lot of money (like a character in the movie), what would you do with it?

• Louis: I would help poorer countries to help themselves by encouraging development and ending exploitation. I’m studying this topic in geography right now.

Kidzworld: What a great answer! What band or musical artist are you really into right now and what do you like about them?

• Louis: I love Drake. He has good beats.

Kidzworld: What is your pet peeve right now?

• Louis: My mom repeating herself “Louis get to bed!” “Louis you’re gonna be late!”

Kidzworld: So many kids can relate to that one. Why should kids and teens enjoy collecting the Blu-ray/DVD/Digital version of The Kid Who Would be King?

• Louis: It’s a great adventure! It’s funny and you can watch it again and again.

 

Add The Kid Who Would Be King to your home video collection now.

Express Yourself!

Would you like to be an actor and maybe play a creature or alien in a film using the motion-capture technique? Are you into the legends of King Arthur? Do you think you are up to being a great leader someday? Tell everyone with a comment and/or write about it on your Kidzworld profile page!