diff --git a/packages/react/src/LazyVideo.tsx b/packages/react/src/LazyVideo.tsx
index 976d538..8cbcbaf 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/LazyVideo.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/LazyVideo.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { useInView } from 'react-intersection-observer'
-import type { ReactElement } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, type ReactElement, useRef, useCallback } from 'react'
 import type { LazyVideoProps } from './types/lazyVideoTypes';
 
 import { fillStyles, transparentGif } from './lib/styles'
@@ -12,11 +12,44 @@ export default function LazyVideo({
   src, alt, fit, position, priority, noPoster, playing = true
 }: LazyVideoProps): ReactElement {
 
+  // Make a ref to the video so it can be controlled
+  const videoRef = useRef<HTMLVideoElement>()
+
   // Watch for in viewport to load video unless using priority
-  const { ref, inView } = useInView({
+  const { ref: inViewRef, inView } = useInView({
     skip: priority
   })
 
+  // Support multiple refs on the video. This is from the
+  // react-intersection-observer docs
+  const setRefs = useCallback((node: HTMLVideoElement) => {
+    videoRef.current = node
+    inViewRef(node)
+  }, [inViewRef])
+
+  // Store the promise that is returned from play to prevent errors when
+  // pause() is called while video is benginning to play.
+  const playPromise = useRef<Promise<void>>()
+
+  // Play the video, waiting until it's safe to play it.  And capture any
+  // errors while trying to play.
+  const play = async () => {
+    if (playPromise.current) await playPromise.current
+    try { playPromise.current = videoRef.current?.play()}
+    catch (e) { console.error(e) }
+  }
+
+  // Pause the video, waiting until it's safe to play it
+  const pause = async () => {
+    if (playPromise.current) await playPromise.current
+    videoRef.current?.pause()
+  }
+
+  // Respond to playing prop and call methods that control the video playback
+  useEffect(() => {
+    playing ? play() : pause()
+  }, [ playing ])
+
   // Simplify logic for whether to load sources
   const shouldLoad = priority || inView
 
@@ -37,7 +70,7 @@ export default function LazyVideo({
       poster={ noPoster ? transparentGif : undefined }
 
       // Straightforward props
-      ref={ref}
+      ref={setRefs}
       preload={ shouldLoad ? 'auto' : 'none' }
       aria-label={ alt }
       style={{