Warwick Davis is probably the most famous person to be associated
with the extremely rare genetic condition called
spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a disorder that Warwick
himself defines as having genes arranged in a “vaguely peculiar
manor” with a label no one can pronounce.
In more scientific terms, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita,
often abbreviated to SED, is a disorder of bone growth affecting
the spine and the ends of bones that results in dwarfism and other
skeletal abnormalities. For Warwick, it is this disorder that
established his role as one of the most recognized fantasy actors
of all time.
Warwick was only 11 years old, studying at the City of London
Freeman’s School, when his grandmother told him of a casting call
for the final movie in the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of
the Jedi. The call was for extras less than four feet to play
members of the Ewoks. At 2’11” (or 88.90 centimeters), Warwick was
ideal for the role.
He refused, however, to call himself an extra. He worked hard to
perfect his role, studying and basing his movements on a dog. It
is this dedication to his small part that led George Lucas to
choose Warwick for the slightly larger role of Wicket, a decision
that would in essence jumpstart Warwick’s career.
After revising the role of Wicket in the Ewoks: The Battle for
Endor and Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, Warwick began
taking supporting roles in different fantasy films such as
Labyrinth, Princess and the Dwarf, and Conor Finians Adventures in
Naas. He was then cast in his first leading role, the title
character in the movie Willow produced by Ron Howard and George
Lucas, a part that had been written with him in mind.
Warwick spent the next few years filming the BBC sponsored
productions of the Chronicles of Narnia, marking the first of two
times he would become involved with an adaptations of this series.
He played Reepicheep in Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn
Treader and Glimfeather in The Silver Chair.
He diversified his resume soon after, playing the villain in the
movie Leprechaun and each of its five sequels, and then continued
to build his catalog of famed fantasy titles, including Gulliver’s
Travels, Prince Valiant, The New Adventures of Pinocchio, White
Pony, The Tenth Kingdom, The Phantom Menace, Hitckhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy.
In 1991, Warwick married Samantha Burroughs. Samantha, who was
diagnosed with a similar disorder known as achondroplasia, could
easily relate to Warwick’s constant effort to overcome obstacles
and battle for adversity. Though their first son, Lloyd, would
die shortly after his birth in 1991, they would eventually give
birth to two children born with the same disorder as their mother,
Annabel who was born in 1997 and Harrison who was born in 2003.
In 1995, Warwick found the perfect way to give back to the acting
community. Along with his father-in-law and fellow dwarf actor,
Peter Burroughs, he founded the Willow Management Talent agency.
The tagline for this agency reads, “The biggest agency for short
actors in the world.” It also encourages casting directors to
“think small, think willow.”
Currently, they represent over 100 actors under a height of 5
feet. He was so successful that in 2004, the agency added a
division known as WillowTALL, for actors over 7 feet trapped in
niche roles.
Having already been involved in every great fantasy film series to
date, it was only fitting that this British actor deserved a place
in the Harry Potter family.
Also falling into the pattern, Davis has taken on several roles.
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, he portrays a Goblin
Bank Teller at Gringotts as well as the Ravenclaw Headmaster and
Charms Master, Filius Flitwick. The latter comes much to the
surprise of J.K. Rowling. In the Frequently Asked Questions
segment of his official website, she describes the confusion:
Despite Rowling’s hesitation, Warwick reprised his role in every
Harry Potter that followed and even a 2006 episode of the
television show Extras called Harry Potter. Mirroring the set and
costume design of the series, the overall look of his character
went through a transformation in Prisoner of Azkaban and has
remained that way since.
For the final two Harry Potter films, Warwick will even take on a
new role, bringing the total number of characters played by the
actor in the series to three. Davis is set to play Griphook the
Goblin, whose involvement in the destruction of one of the
Horcruxes is crucial. Warwick recently tweeted “On my way to the
studios. Mmmm...who am I today? ‘Grip’ or ‘Flit’?”
Warwick continues to take on roles and projects alongside the
Harry Potter series. He appeared in movies such as Ray, Skinned
Deep, Small Town Folk, Agent One-Half, Invasion of the Not Quite
Dead, and Tell Him Next Year. This also includes his involvement
with the Walden Media adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia. This
time, however, he took on new roles, such as Nikabrik the Dwarf in
Prince Caspian.
He took on the world of live theater in the 2006 pantomime
production of Snow White for the Manchester Opera and other
productions with the New Wimbledon Theater. Finally, he appeared
as a contestant on Celebrity Scissorhands, a 2007 charity
hairdressing show for Children in Need.
Warwick’s latest project, however, is arguably long overdue. On
April 15, his autobiography will be released in the United
Kingdom. After much thought, reflection, and even some suggestions
from Twitter followers, Warwick has entitled the book, “Size
Matters Not – The Extraordinary Life and Career of Warwick Davis.”
He doesn’t have to write too much to convince me. Being able to
overcome obstacles to create such a long list of successes and
accomplishments, there is not doubt that his life can be
considered extraordinary.
with the extremely rare genetic condition called
spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, a disorder that Warwick
himself defines as having genes arranged in a “vaguely peculiar
manor” with a label no one can pronounce.
In more scientific terms, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita,
often abbreviated to SED, is a disorder of bone growth affecting
the spine and the ends of bones that results in dwarfism and other
skeletal abnormalities. For Warwick, it is this disorder that
established his role as one of the most recognized fantasy actors
of all time.
Warwick was only 11 years old, studying at the City of London
Freeman’s School, when his grandmother told him of a casting call
for the final movie in the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of
the Jedi. The call was for extras less than four feet to play
members of the Ewoks. At 2’11” (or 88.90 centimeters), Warwick was
ideal for the role.
He refused, however, to call himself an extra. He worked hard to
perfect his role, studying and basing his movements on a dog. It
is this dedication to his small part that led George Lucas to
choose Warwick for the slightly larger role of Wicket, a decision
that would in essence jumpstart Warwick’s career.
After revising the role of Wicket in the Ewoks: The Battle for
Endor and Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, Warwick began
taking supporting roles in different fantasy films such as
Labyrinth, Princess and the Dwarf, and Conor Finians Adventures in
Naas. He was then cast in his first leading role, the title
character in the movie Willow produced by Ron Howard and George
Lucas, a part that had been written with him in mind.
Warwick spent the next few years filming the BBC sponsored
productions of the Chronicles of Narnia, marking the first of two
times he would become involved with an adaptations of this series.
He played Reepicheep in Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn
Treader and Glimfeather in The Silver Chair.
He diversified his resume soon after, playing the villain in the
movie Leprechaun and each of its five sequels, and then continued
to build his catalog of famed fantasy titles, including Gulliver’s
Travels, Prince Valiant, The New Adventures of Pinocchio, White
Pony, The Tenth Kingdom, The Phantom Menace, Hitckhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy.
In 1991, Warwick married Samantha Burroughs. Samantha, who was
diagnosed with a similar disorder known as achondroplasia, could
easily relate to Warwick’s constant effort to overcome obstacles
and battle for adversity. Though their first son, Lloyd, would
die shortly after his birth in 1991, they would eventually give
birth to two children born with the same disorder as their mother,
Annabel who was born in 1997 and Harrison who was born in 2003.
In 1995, Warwick found the perfect way to give back to the acting
community. Along with his father-in-law and fellow dwarf actor,
Peter Burroughs, he founded the Willow Management Talent agency.
The tagline for this agency reads, “The biggest agency for short
actors in the world.” It also encourages casting directors to
“think small, think willow.”
Currently, they represent over 100 actors under a height of 5
feet. He was so successful that in 2004, the agency added a
division known as WillowTALL, for actors over 7 feet trapped in
niche roles.
Having already been involved in every great fantasy film series to
date, it was only fitting that this British actor deserved a place
in the Harry Potter family.
Also falling into the pattern, Davis has taken on several roles.
In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, he portrays a Goblin
Bank Teller at Gringotts as well as the Ravenclaw Headmaster and
Charms Master, Filius Flitwick. The latter comes much to the
surprise of J.K. Rowling. In the Frequently Asked Questions
segment of his official website, she describes the confusion:
- “I must admit, I was taken aback when I saw the film
Flitwick, who looks very much like a goblin/elf (I’ve
never actually asked the filmmakers precisely what he
is), because the Flitwick in my imagination simply
looks like a very small old man.”
Despite Rowling’s hesitation, Warwick reprised his role in every
Harry Potter that followed and even a 2006 episode of the
television show Extras called Harry Potter. Mirroring the set and
costume design of the series, the overall look of his character
went through a transformation in Prisoner of Azkaban and has
remained that way since.
For the final two Harry Potter films, Warwick will even take on a
new role, bringing the total number of characters played by the
actor in the series to three. Davis is set to play Griphook the
Goblin, whose involvement in the destruction of one of the
Horcruxes is crucial. Warwick recently tweeted “On my way to the
studios. Mmmm...who am I today? ‘Grip’ or ‘Flit’?”
Warwick continues to take on roles and projects alongside the
Harry Potter series. He appeared in movies such as Ray, Skinned
Deep, Small Town Folk, Agent One-Half, Invasion of the Not Quite
Dead, and Tell Him Next Year. This also includes his involvement
with the Walden Media adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia. This
time, however, he took on new roles, such as Nikabrik the Dwarf in
Prince Caspian.
He took on the world of live theater in the 2006 pantomime
production of Snow White for the Manchester Opera and other
productions with the New Wimbledon Theater. Finally, he appeared
as a contestant on Celebrity Scissorhands, a 2007 charity
hairdressing show for Children in Need.
Warwick’s latest project, however, is arguably long overdue. On
April 15, his autobiography will be released in the United
Kingdom. After much thought, reflection, and even some suggestions
from Twitter followers, Warwick has entitled the book, “Size
Matters Not – The Extraordinary Life and Career of Warwick Davis.”
He doesn’t have to write too much to convince me. Being able to
overcome obstacles to create such a long list of successes and
accomplishments, there is not doubt that his life can be
considered extraordinary.
- 1990 Saturn Award Nomination for Best Performance by a
- Younger Actor
- Willow
- 2001 Video Premiere Award Nomination for Best Actor
- Leprechaun in the Hood
- 2003 PFCS Nomination for Best Acting Ensemble
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Full Name:
Nickname:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Siblings:
- Warwick Ashley Davis
Nickname:
- ---
Date of Birth:
- 3 February 1970
Place of Birth:
- Epsom, Surrey, England
Siblings:
- 1—younger sister
| Awards and Nominations: |
| Biography: |
| Vital Stats: |
| Contact Information: |
Twitter: @WarwickADavis
E-mail: my.fan.mail@warwickdavis.co.uk
Mail:
Paul Lyon-Maris (agent)
c/o ICM Ltd.
Oxford House
76 Oxford Street
London
W1N 0AX
England
E-mail: my.fan.mail@warwickdavis.co.uk
Mail:
Paul Lyon-Maris (agent)
c/o ICM Ltd.
Oxford House
76 Oxford Street
London
W1N 0AX
England
| Copyright © 2007 | www.booksandwands.com | All Rights Reserved Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Warner Brothers Entertainment. No copyright infringement intended of any and all source material. |
| Warwick Davis |
| *Written by the REAL Ginny Weasley. |
| The Ultimate Harry Potter Analysis Source |
| Choosing what is Right over what is Easy |
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