How Jude Law's Childhood Love of Star Wars Led to a 'Love Affair with Film' and His Role on Skeleton Crew (Exclusive)

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew holds a special place in Jude Law's heart.

While exclusively speaking to PEOPLE at the D23 Expo, the actor, 51, opened up about how the intergalactic franchise has had a big impact on him since childhood and inspired him to pursue the series.

Sharing how he was at "the prime age" of 10 or nine years old when the original movie released, Law admitted, "I think it's fair to say I can't really remember life before Star Wars. I mean, Star Wars and the phenomenon of that first film was all encompassing for children of that age."

He went on to recall how he would run around his school years "playing and pretending or dreaming" about the characters in the larger-than-life movie.

"Then another one came out and sort of just expanded the world even more," he explained. "So it had a profound and very impactful effect on my childhood in a wonderful, wonderful way."

Law added of joining the Star Wars universe, "Also I suppose looking back now, it was a big part of my love affair with film, the beauty of film as storytelling and therefore perhaps what inspired me to act and what why I wanted to be in that world."

He noted that the "same applies to most people of my age" who also grew up watching the film.

"That's beautiful about this particular series is the protagonists are exactly that age," he continued. "So the four leads are the children that we all were seeing for the first time thrown into that universe and those characters and the risks and the thrills and the jeopardy of that unit."

Law takes on the role of Jod Na Nawood in Disney+'s new coming-of-age series.

"When four kids make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, they get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy," the show's official synopsis reads. "Finding their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined."

In addition to Law, child actors Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Wim), Kyriana Kratter (KB), Robert Timothy Smith (Neel) and Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Fern) will also star in the new series.

While speaking to PEOPLE in July, Law revealed what Star Wars fans can expect with the latest addition to its cinematic universe. When asked to describe the series, Law said the "first word that comes to my mind" is "joyful."

He also explained that viewers will watch the kids "maneuver through" places where they shouldn't be and added that "seeing children in that environment in a Star Wars environment is thrilling and very, very unique."

"It is a fun place to be, the universe of Star Wars," he said with a smile. "And there are great references to old films and recent episodes and series. There's a lot of originality and I hope that will bring the feeling of fun to those who watch it."

In Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Law revealed that he and his younger cast members are "all in constant state of confusion and jeopardy and challenge." He added that the series is "very much a piece about working together and overcoming fears and overcoming... perhaps [one's] opinion of oneself or one's own weaknesses in order to succeed."

"I had a wonderful time making this with everyone involved," he said of his time with the child actors. "Those four in particular who worked with me very closely were just great fun and incredibly professional, and I'm immensely proud to be a part of their crew."

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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premieres Dec. 3 on Disney+.