Peter DeSouza-Feighoney is bringing a twisted take to another classic children’s character in Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare. The Scott Chambers-directed film sees the young actor play Michael Darling, the typically innocent and playful youngest sibling of the Darlings. In familiar Twisted Childhood Universe fashion, DeSouza-Feighoney’s take on Michael is reactionary to the chaos going on around him.

The TCU is a franchise already familiar to DeSouza-Feighoney, as he previously portrayed young Winnie-the-Pooh in Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2. He seems to have found his staple role in the larger world in the form of Michael Darling, as he is set to reprise the character in Pinnochio: Unstrung later this year.

In celebration of Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare hitting theaters this week, ScreenRant spoke with DeSouza-Feighoney to discuss his initial reaction to the film’s sadistic script, how he honored the classic spirit of Michael Darling, his creative relationship with director Scott Chambers, and what his role will be in future TCU installments.

Peter DeSouza-Feighoney Was “A Bit Shocked” At Neverland Nightmare’s Script

“It was obviously a yes to me…”

ScreenRant: You’re very young into your career. I know you did The Pope’s Exorcist, so you’re familiar with this kind of horror genre, but when you are getting a script for something like Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare and it has this sadistic twist on it, what was your first reaction?

Peter DeSouza-Feighoney: I mean, when I first saw it, I got the role as [young] Winnie-the-Pooh in Blood and Honey 2, which is also a twisted version of a kid’s fairytale. So yeah, I was a bit shocked that they’re doing Peter Pan, but because I’m a huge horror fan I was also really into it as well. So yeah, when I first heard it, I mean, it was obviously a yes to me. So yeah, I was really excited to start filming this film as well.

Neverland Nightmare’s Michael Darling Honors The Classic Spirit

“He wanted me to be myself, which I’m naturally quiet…”

Something I find so fascinating too is even though we have this horror twist, these characters still feel like the characters that we grew up with in cartoons, in other live-action films throughout our childhood. When you’re playing Michael Darling, what did you do to ensure that your Michael Darling still honored the spirit of the character that we all know?

Peter DeSouza-Feighoney: I watched the Peter Pan films without the horror twist to it, but I mean, without even needing to put a horror twist into it. When I’m watching it, and I’m older, it still has this really creepy turn to it. Peter Pan is getting kids from windows and stuff. It’s just like a creepy twist to it. I’ve watched the two films before I did it, but Scott, the director, he told me that he based Michael Darling when he was writing the script, he wanted me to be myself, which I’m naturally quite quiet and stuff. So yeah, it’s basically just based on me, but also carrying on the other Michael Darlings as well.

I’m glad you brought up Scott, because I had the honor of talking with him recently. He’s just such a mastermind. What was your creative relationship like with Scott?

Peter DeSouza-Feighoney: I mean, he’s just amazing. He’s like, when we first met on Winnie-the-Pooh, he was straight away talking to me about Peter Pan. I didn’t know I was going to get the role at first, but he was straight away talking about, oh yeah, I’m going to do Peter Pan. Then he was telling me, I think we went to an event after he was telling me about how he’s going to do the film and stuff. He’s a genius at how he’s doing it all and he’s making it a bigger for twist to it. It’s crazy. And then when he was directing me, because he’s an actor himself, he knows how to guide you through all of when you’re filming, guide you through it. So he was such a good director to work with. So yeah, he’s amazing.

Michael Darling’s Larger TCU Role Moving Forward

DeSouza-Feighoney will reprise his role in Pinnochio: Unstrung

I know you got Pinocchio in post-production right now. Beyond that, what’s your role going to be like in the TCU going forward?

In Poohniverse, I can’t say too much, but because of what happened to my character in Peter Pan, because of what happened to him, his appearance has changed a tiny bit. For example, at the start of Peter Pan, he’s super quiet and he’s getting bullied, and then during the end he gets some courage to himself. So yeah, I think he’s going to be a much stronger person in the Poohniverse and obviously in Pinocchio because he has more friends in Pinocchio as well. So yeah, I hope in Poohniverse he has more of a stronger side to him.

Have you had a chance to see the script or even just know the general framework of what that story is, and obviously spoiler-free, how excited did it make you to see all of these movies coming together in one film?

Peter DeSouza-Feighoney: I mean, when he told me about it, it was during the filming of Peter Pan. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the script yet, but just from hearing about it when we were filming Peter Pan, it’s going to be a crazy film, just so many villains coming in and then all the heroes of all of these films, and they’re all teaming up. It’s going to be crazy. Yeah, I don’t want to spoil anything, but it’s going to be pretty crazy.

About Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare

The newest entry into the Poohniverse follows Wendy Darling as she strikes out in an attempt to rescue her brother Michael from the clutches of the evil Peter Pan, who intends to send him to Neverland. Along the way, she meets a twisted Tinkerbell, who is hooked on what she thinks is fairy dust.

Check out our other Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare interview with director Scott Chambers.