Warwick Ashley Davis ( , born 3 February 1970) is an English actor and television presenter. Active within the industry since he was twelve, Davis is one of the
highest grossing supporting actors of all time and has the highest average gross revenue of all time. He played the title character in ''
Willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...
'' (1988) and the
''Leprechaun'' film series (1993–2003), several characters in the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' film series (1983–2019), most notably the
Ewok
The Ewoks (singular: Ewok) are a fictional species of small, furry, mammaloid, bipeds in the '' Star Wars'' universe. They inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in arboreal huts and other simple dwellings, being seen as primitive in comp ...
Wicket
In cricket, the term wicket has several meanings:
* It is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch. The fielding team's players can hit the wicket with the ball in a number of ways to get a batsman out. ...
, and
Professor Filius Flitwick and the goblin
Griphook
Magical creatures are an aspect of the fictional Wizarding World contained in the ''Harry Potter'' series and connected media, all created by British author J. K. Rowling. Throughout the seven main books of the series, Harry and his friends enc ...
in the ''
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
'' film series (2001–2011).
Davis starred as a fictionalised version of himself in the sitcom ''
Life's Too Short'' (2011–2013). He has also presented the
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
game shows ''
Celebrity Squares
''Celebrity Squares'' is a British comedy game show based on the American comedy game show ''The Hollywood Squares, Hollywood Squares''. It first ran from 20 July 1975 to 7 July 1979 and was hosted by Bob Monkhouse, then—also hosted by Mon ...
'' (2014–2015) and ''
Tenable
''Tenable'' is a British game show, presented by Warwick Davis and Sally Lindsay, airing on ITV since 14 November 2016. On each episode, five contestants attempt to win up to £125,000 by filling in lists of 10 items each. A celebrity version ...
'' (2016–present).
Early life
Davis was born on 3 February 1970 in
Epsom
Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The ...
,
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, the son of Susan J. ( Pain) and Ashley Davis, an insurance worker.
He has a younger sister. He was educated at
Chinthurst School
Chinthurst School is an independent co-educational nursery, pre-preparatory and preparatory school in semi-rural surroundings in the village of Tadworth, Surrey, England, 15 miles south of the centre of London. As a member of the RGS Group, ...
in
Tadworth
Tadworth is a large suburban village in Surrey, England in the south-east of the Epsom Downs, part of the North Downs. It forms part of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. At the 2011 census, Tadworth (and Walton-on-the-Hill) had a population o ...
,
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
and later the
City of London Freemen's School
City of London Freemen's School (CLFS) is a co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located at Ashtead Park in Surrey, England. It is the sister school of the City of London School and the City of London School for Girls, ...
.
Davis was born with
spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita
Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (abbreviated to SED more often than SDC) is a rare disorder of bone growth that results in dwarfism, characteristic skeletal abnormalities, and occasionally problems with vision and hearing. The name of the ...
, a rare bone growth disorder that results in
dwarfism
Dwarfism is a condition wherein an organism is exceptionally small, and mostly occurs in the animal kingdom. In humans, it is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than , regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dw ...
. When Davis was 11, his grandmother heard a radio advertisement calling for people who were tall or shorter to be in ''
Return of the Jedi
''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
''. To Davis, who was a fan of the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' films, it was a dream come true. During the filming of ''Return of the Jedi'',
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' film series, beginning with the original 1977 film and subsequently winning three Saturn Awards f ...
bought Davis every ''Star Wars''
action figure
An action figure is a poseable character (arts), character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are ...
that he did not already own.
Career
Acting
![Warwick Davis interviewed 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Warwick_Davis_interviewed_2.jpg)
Davis was originally cast as an extra
Ewok
The Ewoks (singular: Ewok) are a fictional species of small, furry, mammaloid, bipeds in the '' Star Wars'' universe. They inhabit the forest moon of Endor and live in arboreal huts and other simple dwellings, being seen as primitive in comp ...
, but when
Kenny Baker, who was originally going to be
Wicket
In cricket, the term wicket has several meanings:
* It is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch. The fielding team's players can hit the wicket with the ball in a number of ways to get a batsman out. ...
, fell ill,
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
picked Davis to be the new Wicket after seeing how he carried himself as an Ewok.
Davis based his Ewok movements on his dog, who tilted his head from side to side whenever he saw something strange. During production on the film, Davis was the subject of a short
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
film about his experience as Wicket, titled ''
Return of the Ewok
''Return of the Ewok'' is an unreleased 1982 mockumentary short, written, produced and directed by David Tomblin, starring Warwick Davis as himself in a fictionalized account of how he got the role of Wicket W. Warrick in ''Return of the Jedi''.' ...
'', made by ''Return of the Jedi''s first assistant director,
David Tomblin
David Tomblin, OBE (18 October 1930 – 20 July 2005) was a film and television producer, assistant director, and director.
As a producer, he was best known for ''The Prisoner'' TV series. As a first assistant director, he worked on a number of ...
. The unreleased film was a fictional look at his decision to become an actor and act in the film and his transformation into Wicket the Ewok. Davis reprised his role as Wicket in the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
made-for-TV films ''
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure'' and ''
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor''.
In 1987, Davis was called to
Elstree Studios
Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...
near London to meet with
Ron Howard
Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of ''The Twilight Zone''. He ...
and George Lucas to discuss a new film project called ''
Willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...
'', which was written with Davis specifically in mind. ''Willow'' was his first opportunity to act with his face visible. He co-starred with
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer found fame after appearances in comedy films, starting with ''Top Secret!'' (1984) and ''Real Genius'' (1985), as well as the military action film ...
in the film, which received a Royal Premiere before the
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
and
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton).
The title was firs ...
. He then moved to television to be in the
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
adaptation of the classic ''
The Chronicles of Narnia
''The Chronicles of Narnia'' is a series of seven high fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' has been adapted for radio, telev ...
'', specifically in ''
Prince Caspian
''Prince Caspian'' (originally published as ''Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia'') is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1951. It was the second published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of N ...
'', ''
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'' is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1952. It was the third published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956). Macmillan US published an Am ...
'' (as
Reepicheep
Reepicheep the Mouse is a fictional character in the children's fantasy series ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' by C. S. Lewis. He appears as a minor character in ''Prince Caspian'' and as a major character in ''The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'', and a ...
), and ''
The Silver Chair
''The Silver Chair'' is a children's fantasy novel by C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1953. It was the fourth published of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956); it is volume six in recent editions, which are seq ...
'' (as
Glimfeather
This is a list of characters in the series of fantasy novels by C. S. Lewis called ''The Chronicles of Narnia''. See also a list of portrayals.
A
*Ahoshta: a 60-year-old Tarkaan of Calormen who later becomes the Grand Vizier, chief adviser to ...
) and an episode of ''
Zorro
Zorro (Spanish language, Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp magazine, pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed a ...
'' filmed in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
. In 1993, he played the villainous Irish lead character in ''
Leprechaun
A leprechaun ( ga, leipreachán/luchorpán) is a diminutive supernatural being in Irish folklore, classed by some as a type of solitary fairy. They are usually depicted as little bearded men, wearing a coat and hat, who partake in mischief. I ...
'', opposite
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
, a role he reprised in five sequels, from 1994 to 2003. He also played a leprechaun in the 1998 family film ''
A Very Unlucky Leprechaun
''A Very Unlucky Leprechaun'' is a 1998 children's fantasy film starring Warwick Davis and directed by Brian Kelly in his feature film directorial debut. It was produced by Roger Corman, and written by Craig J. Nevius. The film debuted at the 19 ...
''. Davis returned to the ''Star Wars'' universe, playing four roles in ''
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'': Weazel, a gambler sitting next to Watto at the Podrace; Wald, who was Anakin's Rodian friend,
Yoda
Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first appearing in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back''. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force and is a leading member of the Jedi Order until ...
in some scenes where Yoda was seen walking, and finally, an extra seen walking around the streets of the city of Mos Espa.
Davis played the role of Professor
Filius Flitwick
The following fictional characters are staff members and denizens of Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books written by J. K. Rowling.
The staff and their positions
Teachers and staff members
The following teachers and staff members do not ha ...
in the
Harry Potter
''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
film series. In addition to playing Flitwick, Davis played the role of the goblin Griphook in ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1'' is a 2010 fantasy film directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The film is the first of two cinematic parts based on the 2007 novel '' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hall ...
'' and ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2'' is a 2011 fantasy film directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The film is the second of two cinematic parts based on the 2007 novel '' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hal ...
'', despite the role being played previously by
Verne Troyer
Verne Jay Troyer (January 1, 1969 – April 21, 2018) was an American actor, comedian, YouTuber, and stunt performer. He was best known for his role of Mini-Me in the ''Austin Powers'' film series. He had cartilage–hair hypoplasia and was ...
.
In 2004, Davis played the character "Plates" in the indie film ''
Skinned Deep'', directed by special effects artist Gabriel Bartalos. In 2006, Davis appeared, alongside fellow ''Harry Potter'' star
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor. He rose to fame at age twelve, when he began portraying Harry Potter in the film series of the same name; and has held various other film and theatre roles. Over his career, Rad ...
, in an episode of BBC's comedy series ''
Extras'' as a satirical version of himself. Davis starred in the film version of ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comic science fiction, comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally The Hitchhiker's Guide to th ...
'', as the "body" of
Marvin the Paranoid Android
Marvin the Paranoid Android is a fictional character in ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' series by Douglas Adams. Marvin is the ship's robot aboard the starship ''Heart of Gold''. Originally built as one of many failed prototypes of Sir ...
(the voice was provided by
Alan Rickman
Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (21 February 1946 – 14 January 2016) was an English actor and director. Known for his deep, languid voice, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and became a member of the Royal Shakespe ...
). In December 2006, Davis starred in the
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
''
Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...
and the Seven Dwarves'' at the
Opera House
An opera house is a theatre building used for performances of opera. It usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and building sets.
While some venues are constructed specifically for o ...
, Manchester, and again in 2007–08 at the
New Wimbledon Theatre
The New Wimbledon Theatre is situated on the Broadway, Wimbledon, London, in the London Borough of Merton. It is a Listed building, Grade II listed Edwardian era, Edwardian theatre built by the theatre lover and entrepreneur, J. B. Mulholland. B ...
.
Davis appeared in ''
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian'', in which he played
Nikabrik
This is a list of characters in the series of fantasy novels by C. S. Lewis called ''The Chronicles of Narnia''. See also a list of portrayals.
A
*Ahoshta: a 60-year-old Tarkaan of Calormen who later becomes the Grand Vizier, chief adviser to ...
the Dwarf, adding to his previous involvement in TV adaptations of the ''Chronicles of Narnia'' series. He also appeared as a contestant on the 2007 series of
Children in Need reality show ''
Celebrity Scissorhands
''Celebrity Scissorhands'' is a reality television show that is part of the BBC's '' Children in Need'' charity campaign, in which celebrities attempt to cut people's hair to raise money for the campaign while trained and watched by professional ...
''. Davis starred as a fictional version of himself in ''
Life's Too Short'', written by
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais ( ; born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, and director. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms ''The Office'' (2001–2003), '' Extras'' (2005–2007), and '' An Idiot Abroad' ...
and
Stephen Merchant
Stephen James Merchant (born 24 November 1974) is an English comedian, actor, director, presenter and writer.
Alongside Ricky Gervais, Merchant was the co-writer and co-director of the British TV comedy series ''The Office'' (2001–2003), and ...
, who also starred. In December 2012, Davis returned to
New Wimbledon Theatre
The New Wimbledon Theatre is situated on the Broadway, Wimbledon, London, in the London Borough of Merton. It is a Listed building, Grade II listed Edwardian era, Edwardian theatre built by the theatre lover and entrepreneur, J. B. Mulholland. B ...
to reprise his role in ''
Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...
and the Seven Dwarfs''.
![Warwick Davis & Anthony Daniels 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Warwick_Davis_%26_Anthony_Daniels_2.jpg)
Davis also appeared in the 2008 TV series ''
Merlin
Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
'' as the character
Grettir
''Grettis saga Ásmundarsonar'' (modern , reconstructed ), also known as ''Grettla'', ''Grettir's Saga'' or ''The Saga of Grettir the Strong'', is one of the Icelanders' sagas. It details the life of Grettir Ásmundarson, a bellicose Icelandic out ...
, the gatekeeper to the "lands of king fisher" in the episode "
The Eye of the Phoenix" in Series 3.
In March 2013, Davis presented an episode of the
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
series ''Perspectives'': "Warwick Davis – The Seven Dwarfs of Auschwitz", in which he explored the story of the
Ovitz family
The Ovitz family was a family of Hungarian Jewish actors/traveling musicians originating from present Romania, who survived imprisonment at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. Most of them were Dwarfism, dwarfs. They were the l ...
, a touring musical troupe which included seven dwarfs who survived the
Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
and the experiments of
Josef Mengele
, allegiance =
, branch = Schutzstaffel
, serviceyears = 1938–1945
, rank = ''Schutzstaffel, SS''-''Hauptsturmführer'' (Captain)
, servicenumber =
, battles =
, unit =
, awards =
, command ...
.
Davis appeared as the character Porridge in the ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' episode "
Nightmare in Silver
"Nightmare in Silver" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the seventh series of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and was first broadcast on BBC One on 11 May 2013. It was written by Neil Gaiman and directed by ...
", first broadcast in May 2013.
In late 2013, Davis appeared for one month as Patsy in the musical comedy ''
Spamalot
''Spamalot'' (also known as ''Monty Python's Spamalot'') is a musical comedy with music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, and lyrics and book by Idle. It is adapted from the 1975 film ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail''.
Like the motion picture ...
'', based on the film ''
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' is a 1975 British comedy film satirizing the Arthurian legend, written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin) an ...
'' in London.
At the same time, Davis hosted a press conference to announce the Monty Python reunion.
In 2014, Davis hosted a factual series for
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
called ''Weekend Escapes with Warwick Davis''. The show saw Davis and his family travelling around Britain, enjoying short weekend holiday breaks. The show returned for a second series in spring 2015. From 2014 to 2015, he hosted the revived version of game show ''
Celebrity Squares
''Celebrity Squares'' is a British comedy game show based on the American comedy game show ''The Hollywood Squares, Hollywood Squares''. It first ran from 20 July 1975 to 7 July 1979 and was hosted by Bob Monkhouse, then—also hosted by Mon ...
'' on
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
. The first series was shown in 2014 and a second aired in 2015.
Davis appeared in the 2015 sequel ''
Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. In July 2015, he became the voice of
Gordon the Gopher
Gordon the Gopher, also known as Gordon T. Gopher, is an English puppet gopher who first appeared on Children's BBC (CBBC) between 1985 and 1987, listed on television shows by Phillip Schofield on the interstitial or in-vision continuity pro ...
in a pilot developed for BBC Taster, and the pilot progressed well, becoming one of the highest rated on the BBC's Taster section.
In November 2016, Davis began presenting the daytime ITV game show ''
Tenable
''Tenable'' is a British game show, presented by Warwick Davis and Sally Lindsay, airing on ITV since 14 November 2016. On each episode, five contestants attempt to win up to £125,000 by filling in lists of 10 items each. A celebrity version ...
''. The show returned for further series in 2017 and 2018. Davis also appeared in ''
Rogue One
''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (or simply ''Rogue One'') is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards. The screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy is from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta. It was produced by Luc ...
: A Star Wars Story'', released December 2016, as the rebel fighter Weeteef Cyubee and that was also his first ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' role with a blaster. In April 2017, at
Star Wars Celebration
The ''Star Wars'' Celebration is a fan gathering to celebrate the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It began in 1999, when Lucasfilm held the ''Star Wars'' Celebration in Denver, Colorado to celebrate the upcoming release of '' Star Wars: Episode I ...
Orlando, it was announced that Davis would voice
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Grand Admiral Thrawn (full name: Mitth'raw'nuruodo) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is notable for appearing as the eponymous character in the ''Thrawn'' trilogy of novels (1991–1993) by Timothy Zahn. Thrawn is an ...
's bodyguard Ruhk in the fourth season of ''
Star Wars Rebels
''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animation, 3D animated science fiction on television, science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place over a decade after ''Episode ...
''. In December 2017, Davis appeared as Wodibin, an alien gambler, in ''
Star Wars: The Last Jedi''. Davis appeared in the film ''
Solo: A Star Wars Story'', released in May 2018, reuniting with his ''Willow'' director Ron Howard. This was Davis' eighth appearance in a ''Star Wars'' film. In the film, Davis reprised his role of Weazel from ''
The Phantom Menace
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
''. Davis also briefly appeared in ''
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'', reprising his role of Wicket. He appeared in the role alongside his son Harrison, who also cameoed as Wicket's son Pommet.
Davis reprised his role as Willow Ufgood in the Disney+ series ''
Willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...
'' to generally positive critic reviews.
''Star Wars'' characters
Davis plays Wicket in four films and Weazel in two films; all fifteen of Warwick Davis' Star Wars characters break down as such:
Other projects
In 1995, Davis co-founded, with fellow actor and father-in-law
Peter Burroughs
Peter Burroughs (born 27 January 1947) is a British television and film actor and the director of Willow Management. He is the father-in-law of actor and TV presenter Warwick Davis.
Early career
Burroughs initially ran a shop in his village at ...
, the talent agency Willow Management, that specialises in representing actors under five feet (1.52 m) tall. Many of Davis's co-stars and fellow actors with dwarfism from ''Star Wars'', ''Willow'', ''Labyrinth'' and the ''Harry Potter'' series are represented by the agency. In 2004, the agency also began representing actors over seven feet (2.13 m) tall who had suffered from being confined to "niche" roles. Over forty members of Willow Management were cast as goblins in ''
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2'' is a 2011 fantasy film directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The film is the second of two cinematic parts based on the 2007 novel '' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hal ...
''.
In April 2010, Davis published his
autobiography
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life.
It is a form of biography.
Definition
The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...
, ''Size Matters Not: The Extraordinary Life and Career of Warwick Davis'', with a foreword by
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
.
In October 2012, Davis appeared in a set of videos with the popular YouTube group
The Yogscast
The Yogscast, officially registered as Yogscast Limited, is a British entertainment company based in Bristol that primarily produces video gaming-related videos on YouTube and Twitch, and also operates the Yogscast multi-channel network for a ...
, after the hosts of the yogscast's podcast "The YogPod" discussed him in several episodes. In January 2013, he appeared in a
Comic Relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Definition
Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
episode of ''
The Great British Bake Off
''The Great British Bake Off'' (often abbreviated to ''Bake Off'' or ''GBBO'') is a British television baking competition, produced by Love Productions, in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds, att ...
'', winning that episode's title of "Comic Relief Star Baker".
Davis is a founder of the Reduced Height Theatre Company, which stages theatrical productions cast exclusively with short actors and using reduced height sets. Their first production was ''
See How They Run'', touring the UK in 2014. In February 2015, the production was the subject of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
's "Warwick Davis' Big Night" as part of the ''Modern Times'' documentary series.
On 15 July 2014, Davis appeared on stage with
Monty Python
Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four ...
during their live show ''
Monty Python Live (Mostly)
''Monty Python Live (Mostly)'' (also billed as ''Monty Python Live (Mostly): One Down, Five to Go'') was a variety show by the Monty Python comedy group at The O2 in London in July 2014. Planned as a single performance for 1 July, it was expanded ...
''. He was the special guest in their "Blackmail" sketch. In June 2016, he was the castaway on the
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
programme ''
Desert Island Discs
''Desert Island Discs'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942.
Each week a guest, called a " castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings (usu ...
''.
Davis produced a new original musical ''
Eugenius!
''Eugenius!'' is an original musical featuring book, music and lyrics by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins. The show is a comedy book musical.
Productions
London Palladium
After two years of extensive workshops with the writers and original creativ ...
'' by
Ben Adams
Benjamin “Ben” Edward Stephen Adams (born 22 November 1981) is a British singer and songwriter from Ascot, England, best known as a member of the British-Norwegian boy band A1.
Early life
Born in Ascot, Adams attended Westminster Under ...
and Chris Wilkins, which premiered as a concert performance on 29 June 2016 at the
London Palladium
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 an ...
(which Davis also starred in as Evil Lord Hector) followed by fully staged runs at
The Other Palace
The Other Palace is a theatre in London's Off West End which opened on 18 September 2012 as the St. James Theatre. It features a 312-seat main theatre and a 120-seat studio theatre. It was built on the site of the former Westminster Theatre, w ...
in 2018.
In February 2017, the BBC broadcast an episode of the genealogy programme ''
Who Do You Think You Are?'' about Davis. In the episode Davis learned that in his family tree he had an ancestor that had been married to two women at the same time, another who had died in an asylum from
syphilis
Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, an ...
and another who performed at
minstrel show
The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of racist theatrical entertainment developed in the early 19th century.
Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people spe ...
s in
blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person.
In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...
.
Personal life
Davis is married to Samantha (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Burroughs
), the daughter of Davis' business partner
Peter Burroughs
Peter Burroughs (born 27 January 1947) is a British television and film actor and the director of Willow Management. He is the father-in-law of actor and TV presenter Warwick Davis.
Early career
Burroughs initially ran a shop in his village at ...
and the sister of actress Hayley Burroughs. Davis met the Burroughs family while filming ''
Willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...
'', where Samantha and Peter had minor roles as Nelwyn villagers. They have two children. Their daughter,
Annabelle Davis
Annabelle Davis (born 28 March 1997) is an English actress. She portrayed Sasha Bellman in the CBBC series ''The Dumping Ground'' from 2015 to 2022, and from 2023, she is set to play Lacey Lloyd in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks''. She ...
, starred in the
CBBC
CBBC (initialised as Children's BBC and also known as the CBBC Channel) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast children's television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is also the bran ...
show ''
The Dumping Ground
''The Dumping Ground'' (also informally referred to as ''The DG'') is a British children's television drama series that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people who live in a children's home with their care workers in care. The ser ...
'' as Sasha Bellman.
Unlike most people with dwarfism who have a condition called
achondroplasia
Achondroplasia is a genetic disorder with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance whose primary feature is dwarfism. In those with the condition, the arms and legs are short, while the torso is typically of normal length. Those affected ha ...
(70.65%), Davis' dwarfism is caused by an extremely rare genetic condition called
spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita
Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (abbreviated to SED more often than SDC) is a rare disorder of bone growth that results in dwarfism, characteristic skeletal abnormalities, and occasionally problems with vision and hearing. The name of the ...
(SED). Davis' wife, Samantha, has achondroplasia, and their two children have SED. As a result of inheriting both conditions, the couple's first son died nine days after birth.
Their second son was miscarried at 19 weeks.
Davis has said the only real drawback to being small was the associated health problems. Of his own dwarfism, Davis has said, "Well, as you get older, it gets worse... Your joints, for a start. My hips are dislocated, so they're sitting out here. Very painful knees. I had surgery on my feet when I was very young. There's a risk of retinal detachment, but I know the signs now."
Davis is co-founder of Little People UK, a charity that provides support to people with dwarfism and their families.
Filmography
Notes
References
External links
*
*
Willow Management
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Warwick
1970 births
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
Actors with dwarfism
English male child actors
English male film actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
English game show hosts
English television presenters
Living people
Male actors from Surrey
People educated at City of London Freemen's School
People from Epsom
People educated at Chinthurst School
Television presenters with disabilities