From Magic Cupboards to Marvins Room, A Catch Up with a ’90s Favourite

It is not every day you get to sit down with someone whose childhood performance helped define a generation’s sense of wonder. Hal Scardino, who starred as Omri in The Indian in the Cupboard, takes a rare step back into the spotlight with Movieland to reflect on a career that brushed shoulders with legends and brought childhood imaginations to life.

In this conversation, Hal opens up about working alongside Litefoot and the unique challenges of acting with green screens, miniatures, and practical effects long before CGI became the norm. He recalls the intensity and calm of playing chess scenes with Laurence Fishburne in Searching for Bobby Fischer, and the raw energy of acting opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Marvins Room—including a little-known story of how DiCaprio personally scouted him to join Romeo and Juliet.

Now working outside the limelight, Hal shares insights into what he is doing today, how he views his early fame, and what The Indian in the Cupboard means to him all these years later. Plus, in true nostalgic spirit, we ask: what absurd or hilarious objects would he stick in that magical cupboard today?

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