The premise of Fox’s brand new X-Men series The Gifted is two parents taking their kids on the run after discovering they have mutant powers, and The Marvel Report had the chance to meet those very kids at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. Natalie Alyn Lind and Percy Hines White, two very talented young actors, sat down with us to go over their experiences making the show thus far.
Percy Hines White, who plays young Andy Strucker, admits that his character is, “A lot like me. Except he’s kind of more shy, he gets bullied, and he has superpowers.” Though he discovers his powers in the course of the pilot, there’s no secret-keeping this time around. “300 people know at the same time,” his costar adds.
Natalie Alyn Lind will be taking on the role of Lauren Strucker, Andy’s protective older sister. When describing her character, she says, “My character personally finds out that she’s a mutant at a young age and doesn’t want to tell her family… Because she doesn’t want anyone to see her differently.” This is especially important because her father is a mutant prosecutor. “That’s definitely where the heart comes in,” because Lauren and Andy can now rely on and trust each other.
“She tries to guide me,” Hines White explains of his sister. Andy’s powers are so powerful that he has problems controlling them, and Lauren’s experience is very useful in helping him learn how. “Family comes first, and I think that that’s the biggest message in our show,” Alyn Lind tells us. Not only when it comes to the two siblings, but to the parents who are willing to give up their way of life to protect their kids. Going through such trauma as a family, “builds us back together.”
But they’re also going to find a new family in the group of mutants who help them. “Our parents will always be our parents, but we need more guidance than that,” Alyn Lind declares. And even without the X-Men proper being around in the show, there are plenty of individual characters that The Gifted plans to bring on. “Being able to take those characters and build them into the series is so cool.”
Check out the rest of the interview in the video below and don’t forget to watch The Gifted on Fox when it premieres Monday, October 2nd at 9/8c.