Disney’s fourth Descendants movie The Descendants: Rise of Red is out now, and the Villain Kids (or VKs) are on a time-traveling adventure to stop the Queen of Hearts before she changes Wonderland forever. While past Descendants films have introduced us to the children of Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar, and more, Rise of Red has only one returning VK, Ursula’s daughter Uma (China Anne McLain). The rest of the cast features all-new VKs, including Red herself, daughter of the Queen of Hearts.
Another new VK entering the scene is Morgie, the wicked son of Morgana Le Fay. Not only is this villainous mother-son duo new to Descendants, but they’re new to the world of Disney too. So of course we needed to get an inside look at Morgie’s rise to villainous VK straight from Morgie himself. Triple-threat actor and hobby collector (seriously he has so many hobbies) Peder Lindell brings Morgie to life and gives us his advice for doing everything you love and going to school. Check out the full interview below.
Showstopper Magazine Online: How did you prepare to become part of the Descendants universe?
Peder Lindell: I rewatched all the movies and really immersed myself in the Descendants universe. I wanted to remember what it was like to watch these movies as a kid and make sure I could bring that feeling to the screen with Morgie!
SMO: Your character and his Disney villain mother, Morgana Le Fay are new to the world of Disney and Descendants what was it like to introduce them to audiences for the first time?
Peder: Whenever you are given the opportunity as an actor to create a brand new character there is a spark of excitement! It was so much fun introducing a new Disney villain to the franchise.
SMO: You worked closely with Dara Reneé and Joshua Colley who play Ulyana and Hook. What was that experience like?
Peder: They are the type of actors that you truly enjoy collaborating with. It was really fun to develop that VK trio dynamic and also to become so close to each other throughout the process.
SMO: Do you get any memorable advice from Disney veterans like Dara?
Peder: She gave me some really useful insight into how fans would react, the good and the bad, and how to deal with it!
SMO: What defines Morgie for you?
Peder: He’s in love with being wicked and in love with all things wicked, but I think at points he may come across as quite lovable because he’s a little goofy and in his own world so he can be neglected by his fellow VK’s, which is a fun dynamic to play with.
SMO: You have a lot of skills outside of the arts from flying planes to rock climbing. Did any of your non-acting interests influence your role as Morgie?
Peder: Totally! I think particularly with Morgie’s movement and physicality. I love doing stunts, flips, tricks, and being very agile, and that comes from skills like parkour, diving, soccer, hockey, etc. Morgie is the son of a sorceress and those traits felt natural and in the vain of the character I envisioned.
SMO: Did you perform any stunts in The Rise of Red?
Peder: I did! In the “Perfect Revenge” sequence, I do a diving tuck roll in the forest. There’s also a jump off of the lair platform later in the song. That jump was actually supposed to be some type of flip, but we had to cut it, unfortunately. However, you can see the test stunts on my Instagram page! I also did a butterfly kick in my introduction scene in “Life Is Sweeter”!
SMO: If you could play or voice any Disney character (good or evil!), what would be your dream role?
Peder: I would love to play Peter Pan—and it’s not just because of the similar name! I have always approached life with wide eyes, and I think Peter Pan captures the spirit of adventure and the make-believe that I’m so fond of.
SMO: You are a student at Loyola Marymount University alongside being a Disney star. How do you balance honing your skills and building your career?
Peder: Lots of planning ahead! It can be a lot of work, but it is doable, you just have to be willing to work hard. My acting career has always been my number one priority and passion, but alongside this, I have always had many other hobbies, so I have been familiar with managing a complex and conflicting schedule. The best advice I could give to someone in a similar situation is to find a duality between the two, prioritize and plan ahead, take your schedule day by day, and make sure you enjoy what you’re doing because you won’t get very far if not!
SMO: Descendants: The Rise of Red is out now. What are you most excited for people to see?
Peder: It’s out, and I could not be more excited for everyone to watch it! I think you will get some good laughs out of my scenes, especially the tree scene at the end! The soundtrack is also extremely competitive in the worldwide movie musical genre; the songs are top-notch, and I can’t wait for you all to give them a listen.
