Dafne Keen

January 4, 2025

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Dafne María Keen Fernández, popularly known as Dafne Keen, was born on January 4, 2005. She is a British-Spanish actress most famously known for her role as Laura in the 2017 superhero film “Logan.” She has been critically acclaimed for her acting and started acting as a child at the young age of nine. She has received multiple awards, including an Empire Award for ‘Best Newcomer’ and nominations for a Critic’s Choice Award and a Saturn Award. In 2019 she began starring as Lyra Belacqua in the television series “His Dark Materials,” for which she achieved a nomination for a BAFTA award.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Dafne María Keen Fernández

Birth date:

January 4, 2005

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Capricorn

Height:

5' 0"

Relationship Status:

Single

Net Worth:

$450 thousand

Background

Dafne María Keen Fernández, popularly known as Dafne Keen, was born in Madrid, Spain, on January 4, 2005, to parents Will Keen and María Fernández. Her father is a famous British actor, and her mother is a Spanish actress, theater director, and writer. Keen is currently obtaining her high school diploma through homeschooling and has appeared in several films and television series.

In 2014, Keen began acting, starring alongside her father in the B.B.C. television series, “The Refugees,” where she plays Ana “Ani” Cruz Oliver. The show ultimately ended in 2015 after one season. Keen did not take on any new projects until two years later, in 2017, when she co-starred with Hugh Jackman in the critically acclaimed superhero movie “Logan” as mutant Laura, the child clone of Wolverine. The film enjoyed tremendous commercial success and is one of the best superhero movies.

Her role in “Logan” won her numerous nominations and prizes for her performance, including the Empire Award for ‘Best Newcomer,’ multiple nominations from the Chicago Film Critics Association, and The Saturn Awards. Her performance in “Logan” also gained critical acclaim. Keen got cast in the 2019 Belacqua lead role in the B.B.C./H.B.O. television adaptation of the “His Dark Materials” trilogy. Since the show’s premiere, it has been well-received, and Keen has gotten accolades for her efforts. She was a contender for the ‘Best Actress’ BAFTA Cymru Award in 2020 for this portrayal. Later that year, Keen co-starred in the comedy-drama film “Ana” with Andy Garcia. The film received mixed reviews, though Keen’s performance got praised.

Career timeline

2014

A Recurring Role

Keen appears in the television series “The Refugees” as Ana in a recurring role for seven episodes.

2017

She Wins An Award

Keen wins the ‘Best Supporting Actress of the Year’ at the Golden Schmoes Awards.

2019

She Gets the Main Role

Keen acquires the leading role of Belacqua in the drama series “His Dark Materials.”

2017

She Makes Her Film Debut

Keen makes her debut in the film “Logan” as a mutant named Laura.

2020

She Gets Another Lead Role

Keen attains another leading role as the character Ana in the film “Ana.”

Why We Love Dafne Keen

She is a dedicated actress
When her school was closed for special events, Keen would accompany her parents to practice, where she would observe them at work all day. She learned the right way to behave and how to become a more reliable person at this point. Although spending time in a theater doesn't seem like a good idea for a young child, Keen made the most of the opportunity to learn and spend time with her family.
Acting is in her blood
She is the younger child of British actor Will Keen, whose roles include Thomas Cranmer in “Wolf Hall” and Michael Adeane in Netflix's “The Crown.” Additionally, in the B.B.C. drama “The Scandalous Lady W,” he appeared close to Natalie Dormer. Her mother, Maria Fernández Ache, is a Spanish playwright, director, and on-screen persona. She appeared alongside Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's spouse in the British gangster movie “Anti-Social” in 2015.
She has received numerous accolades
In her young four-year acting career, Keen has already received accolades, such as the M.T.V. Movie & T.V. awards, where she won ‘Best Duo’ with Jackman for “Logan,” and nominations in the Chicago Film Critics Association, Dublin Film Critics’ Circle, Seattle Film Critics Circle, London Film Critics Circle, and Critics Choice Movie Awards, all for her performance in “Logan.”

5 Surprising Facts

She’s a child actress prodigy
Keen has been acting in films and television series since the age of nine years old.
Her mum helped her
During the filming of “His Dark Materials,” Keen’s mother helped train her for the show.
She works during holidays
Keen is known to spend her holiday time in rehearsal spaces, spending a lot of time with her parents while they rehearse.
She’s trained in martial arts
Keen began learning martial arts as a young girl, which helped her land a part in the movie "Logan."
She’s fluent in spanish
Keen knew the language well before attaining the role in “Logan” since her character utilizes these abilities.