By Erin Free
Aussie-raised actor Leonardo Nam (Westworld, Pacific Rim) enjoys a major character turnaround as the scene-stealing Maddox Hatter in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, the latest entry in the popular fantasy musical film series.
Born in Argentina to Korean immigrant parents and raised in Australia, actor Leonardo Nam is a true internationalist, featuring in various projects across continents and ignoring regional boundaries in favour of finding projects that really move him. “I’m always looking for the humanity underneath the spectacle,” says Nam, who has grabbed attention with a slew of eye-catching performances in top-notch TV genre fare like HBO’s Emmy-winning Westworld and Marvel’s Werewolf By Night, along with films like Yes Day, The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants franchise and The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift.
Leonardo Nam is best known, however, for his colourful performance as Maddox Hatter in the popular fantasy musical Disney + movie series Descendants. But after playing good guy Maddox in 2024’s Descendants: The Rise Of Red, Nam has done a complete about-face in the new entry Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, with a new altered timeline repositioning Maddox as a ruthless villain. It’s another challenge for the always challenge-ready Leonardo Nam, who also has a host of other projects on the boil courtesy of his production company Good On Ya Productions, named in honour of his Aussie upbringing. “I feel like I’m entering a really exciting chapter,” says Leonardo Nam.
Maddox Hatter has seen some enormous changes in the Descendants films. How do you approach those challenges as an actor? Have you known from the start where Maddox has been going? Or do you have to navigate those changes when they come?
“That’s actually one of the things I’ve loved most about playing Maddox. I didn’t know every turn his story would take, and in a funny way, I think that’s exactly how life works. None of us knows where we’re going. We just know who we are and hopefully try to stay true to that. As an actor, I never start with the plot. I start with the person. What does Maddox want? What scares him? What makes him laugh? What does he protect? Once I understand those things, then whatever direction the writers take him feels honest. One thing I’ve learned over twenty-five years is that audiences can forgive almost any plot twist if they believe the emotional truth behind it. I always say, ‘Characters don’t have to be predictable. They have to be truthful.’ That’s what I try to protect every time I step onto a set.”
What’s the best part of being involved with the Descendants franchise?
“Without question, it’s the people. Every production says they’re like family, but this one genuinely feels that way. There’s an incredible generosity from everyone involved, from Disney to our producers, our cast, and our crew. Everybody wants everyone else to succeed, and you feel that every day. And then there are the fans. They’re incredibly passionate, but what strikes me most is how kind they are. I meet parents who tell me these movies have become family traditions, and young people who tell me they see a little bit of themselves in Maddox. That’s incredibly humbling. As actors, we spend our careers hoping a story connects. When something becomes part of people’s childhoods and family memories, that’s a privilege.”
What are your interactions like with the fans? They’re a pretty dedicated bunch!
“They’re amazing. I honestly think they’re among the most thoughtful fans I’ve ever encountered! They know every detail, every costume, every lyric, and every relationship, but what really stands out is how generous they are with their enthusiasm. One of my favourite things now is interacting with people online. I love sharing behind-the-scenes moments because audiences are fascinated by how these worlds get made. Acting can seem mysterious from the outside, but filmmaking is such a collaborative art form. I’ve also really enjoyed sharing more of who I am outside of acting, whether it’s life as a dad, producing projects, or the lessons I’m still learning. It’s reminded me that people don’t just connect with characters anymore. They connect with people.”
You have quite the interesting background. Have you noticed many changes in terms of cast and crew diversity since you’ve been working?
“Absolutely. When I first started, the industry was much more limited in how it viewed people who came from multiple cultures or didn’t fit into a familiar box. My own life has always been layered. I was born in Argentina, raised in Australia by Korean parents, and built my career in America. For a long time, I thought I had to explain that. Now I’ve realised that’s actually becoming the norm. We’re living in a world where people study abroad, move countries, marry across cultures, and build families across continents. So many people have these beautifully layered identities. I’ve stopped thinking about being ‘between cultures.’ Instead, I think about belonging to all of them. That’s something I hope to explore more, both as an actor and as a producer. Because stories travel. The emotions don’t need a passport. The more specific we are about people’s lives, the more universal they often become.”
You’ve appeared in quite a few sci-fi, fantasy, and genre-type productions. Is that purely coincidence, or is that where you land as a viewer yourself?
“Probably a bit of both. I’ve always loved genre because the best science fiction, fantasy, and horror aren’t really about monsters or magic. They’re about people. They’re about grief, hope, identity, family, belonging, fear, and love. Genre simply gives us a different language to explore those ideas. Whether it’s Descendants, Westworld, Werewolf By Night, or Pacific Rim, I’m always looking for the humanity underneath the spectacle. If I believe the person, the audience will believe the world.”
When did you first become interested in performing and creating?
“I can actually trace it back to when I was about twelve-years-old. I was in an after-school arts program, and one room was dance while another was acting. My older brother went on to become an award-winning choreographer, so I’ve always had enormous respect for dancers and the discipline they bring to their craft. I wandered into the acting room and a teacher handed me Edmund’s speech from King Lear. I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand every word at twelve-years-old. But I understood the feeling. I understood someone trying to find where they belonged inside a family. That completely cut through four hundred years of history and landed with me. I remember thinking, ‘How is that possible?’ That was probably the first time I realised stories could travel across centuries and oceans and still make someone feel understood. Years later, when I moved to New York, I already knew I wanted to become an actor. The real turning point came when I discovered that acting wasn’t just talent. It was a craft. Working in theatre and studying with my mentor Annie Swann completely changed the way I thought about acting. I realised there was a blueprint. There were tools, techniques, and generations of artists who had dedicated themselves to understanding human behaviour. The older I become as a person, the deeper I can go as an actor because the craft keeps growing with you.”
You’ve been on screen for 25 years now! What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned in that time?
“Curiosity beats certainty. Early in my career, I thought I needed all the answers. Now I think the best artists keep asking better questions and stay curious about life. I’ve also learned that kindness isn’t separate from professionalism. You want to work with these people again and again over your career lifetime. The crews remember how you treat people. Directors remember. Other actors remember. I plan on being part of this industry for a lifetime.”
What can you tell us about the very coolly named Good On Ya Productions? What kind of projects are you interested in? What do you want to say with the company? Do you have anything in development right now that you can talk about?
“Thank you! The name is a little love letter to my Australian upbringing. Good On Ya Productions grew out of years of acting and realising that sometimes I’d read an article, hear a podcast, discover a book, or meet someone and immediately think, ‘That has to become a film.’ Eventually I stopped waiting for someone else to make those projects. I wanted to help build them. We’re developing film and television with a particular focus on character-driven stories that travel across cultures. One project I’m especially excited about is A Vintage Crime, based on the extraordinary true story of Rudy Kurniawan and what’s often described as the largest wine fraud investigation in FBI history. It’s a fascinating crime story, but underneath it’s really about ambition, identity, reinvention, and belonging. I’m also passionate about championing writers and filmmakers whose voices deserve a bigger stage. I’ve been fortunate to have people believe in me throughout my career. Now I’d like to help open doors for the next generation of storytellers…whether they’re from Australia, Korea, Argentina, the UK, the United States, or anywhere else. Great stories can come from anywhere.
What prompted your jump into producing?
“It honestly came from acting. After spending so many years on set, I became fascinated by everything that happens before a script reaches an actor. Producing lets me help shape stories from the beginning. It’s about finding the right writer, bringing together collaborators, solving creative problems, and building projects from the ground up. As an actor, I may never play a sixteen-year-old pop star or an eighty-five-year-old grandfather. But I understand those emotions. Producing allows me to help tell stories beyond the roles I can personally play, and that’s incredibly exciting.”
What’s next in terms of acting?
“I feel like I’m entering a really exciting chapter. I understand the storytelling process from a much broader perspective. I’m looking for roles that surprise people, characters with contradictions, and stories that can resonate with audiences around the world. Whether I’m acting or producing, the goal is really the same. Tell stories that entertain, connect people, and hopefully leave them feeling a little less alone.”
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is streaming now on Disney +.
