Exclusive Interview: Lyon Daniels Talks ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles,’ Bringing this Beloved Story to a New Audience, and More

Lyon Daniels is an emerging storyteller who has swiftly made a lasting impression on audiences with his nuanced and layered performances in projects such as Patriot and We Can Be Heroes.

This spring, he leads the extraordinary cast of Roku’s The Spiderwick Chronicles. Based on the best-selling novels, this must-see series follows the Grace family as they move to their ancestral home and discover that magical creatures actually exist. Lyon shines in his portrayal of Jared, capturing the character’s coming-of-age journey.

Pop Culturalist was fortunate enough to speak with Lyon about The Spiderwick Chronicles, what it has meant to him to bring this beloved story to a new audience and generation, and more.

PC: You grew up reading The Spiderwick Chronicles. As you brought your interpretation of Jared to life, what’s something you wanted to make sure was translated from page to screen? What’s something new that you brought to him?
Lyon: That’s a very good question. First and foremost, I did a deep dive into the book. In it, they mention how Mallory knows who she wants to be. She wants to be a fencer. Simon is probably going to be a zookeeper. He knows who he wants to do. He’s the caretaker and heart of the family. But Jared doesn’t know where he belongs. He doesn’t know where he fits in. He doesn’t know who he wants to be. That really put his character into perspective for me. As an actor and person, I could relate to that. I feel like that’s very relatable as you’re coming into adulthood. I wanted to portray that where he sees himself as one big flaw and essentially a scapegoat. When his arc starts to evolve and he’s almost forced into this hero role, we start seeing him as a leader. It’s a beautiful evolution and arc. It was wonderful to get to portray as an actor.

PC: It’s so rare when you head into a project that there’s an existing fan base. Did you feel that pressure heading into filming?
Lyon: I definitely did. I knew when the movie came out, it received a lot of interaction among the fans. The books are massive. I’ve always dreamed of having the opportunity to play a role like this. I felt the pressure, but it was such a great learning experience for me as an actor, playing such a complex character.

PC: Family is such a cornerstone in this series, and that chemistry on screen is so believable. How were you able to build that bond so quickly?
Lyon: It was like magic. It came so naturally. Noah [Cottrell] and I read with each other quite a bit. We had time to hang out in Vancouver before filming. We did school hours together. We built our twin dynamic from there. We didn’t meet Mychala [Lee] or Joy [Bryant] until we started filming. It’s funny because as soon as we met, it all clicked. We created a bond. It was like Joy was our actual mother and Mychala was my actual sister. It’s insane how it worked.

PC: You’ve also worked with Christian Slater in the past. How did that trust and familiarity allow you both to explore the cat-and-mouse dynamic between your two characters?
Lyon: Yeah, I worked with Christian on We Can Be Heroes. When I found out that he got the role in Spiderwick, I was like that is a funny coincidence. I told him and jogged his memory. He was like, “Noodles,” that’s what he always calls me.

But our cat-and-mouse dynamic was so fun. He’s an awesome guy and such a legend. He taught me how to take things seriously but not too seriously. We loved to improvise and play with our scenes, especially because it’s hero versus villain. It’s so easy to have fun with that and play with that Peter Pan/Captain Hook dynamic. It was one of my favorite things about working on this show.

PC: Without giving any spoilers, you do such a brilliant job delving into the emotions and nuances of this character, and you really get to show off your range. As an actor, how did you prepare to tackle those more vulnerable moments?
Lyon: Thank you so much. That means a lot to me. Mental health is something that’s always been important and personal to me. I really wanted to respect it and be that beacon for people who can relate to Jared’s storyline and know that they’re not alone. There are people that you can talk to and you can write your own destiny, and you’re not flawed. You’re human.

At the end of the day, you’re human. That was super important to me to convey. I spoke a lot with our showrunner Aron [Eli Coleite]. We wanted to avoid certain trigger words and be as authentic as possible, especially when it comes to Neurodivergent Disorder.

PC: This is the longest that you’ve lived with a character. What’s the most surprising part about this experience? What have you learned thus far?
Lyon: I’ve learned how to lose myself in a character. I got to embody this character for eight or nine months and I started to feel what Jared was feeling and started to really understand him as a person. That helped my performance and helped me get into the mentality of Jared.

I will definitely bring that to future projects. I’m all for going method and losing yourself in the character. I always thought that looked like a lot of hard work, but honestly, it came very naturally, especially when you do a deep dive into the books, make a playlist, and everything.

PC: What I love about this adaptation is that it pays homage to the original source material, while also bringing something new for audiences who may be discovering it for the first time, and it tackles so many timely themes of today. Was there one in particular that hit home for you? What do you hope audiences take away after seeing Season 1?
Lyon: Write your own destiny, know that you’re capable, and see yourself as the hero in your story. A lot of people have trouble doing that. They often think they’re the hero of their story and the villain to someone else’s, and that’s not the way to think.

I also hope people take away that you’re not alone. Your family is there for you. That’s the core of the show. Even if you get into arguments, your family is going to love you no matter what.

I’m so happy, lucky, and grateful to be a part of a project that tackles these beautiful themes.

PC: Season 1 is out now. If we’re lucky enough to get a second season, is there an aspect of Jared that you’d like to delve deeper into? Have there been early conversations about a Season 2?
Lyon: I’ve heard rumblings. I hope Season 2 happens. I’d love to delve deeper into Jared’s relationship with Arthur Spiderwick and that generational gap. That would be a fun dynamic to play, and Albert [Jones] is such a great guy.

PC: This project is going to open so many doors for you. Is there a dream role that you’d love to play in the future?
Lyon: There are a lot. Miles Morales has always been a dream of mine. I’ve always wanted to play a Marvel superhero since I can remember. Knowing that there’s one that’s biracial and mixed race like me is such a cool feeling. I’d love to play him. Also, as I get older, I’d love to do a Jimi Hendrix biopic.

To keep up with Lyon, follow him on Instagram. Watch Season 1 of The Spiderwick Chronicles on Roku today.